Asymptomatic but Covid-19 positive patients can be discharged from corona care centres after 10 days of isolation there but will have to undergo home quarantine for a further seven days, Director of Health Services, Dr Aman War said today.
Worries have been expressed by members of the public on social media that this relaxation in protocols will lead to an increase in the spread of the virus, but the DHS said that the virus is no longer contagious after 17 days.
“As per the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), the virus is not infectious after 17 days,” Dr War said during his daily briefing here.
The Health and Family Welfare Department’s September 30 notification states that “patients under home isolation will stand discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and [if they have] no fever for three days. Thereafter the patient will be advised to isolate at home and self-monitor their health for a further seven days. There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over.”
