Assam Modifies COVID-19 Home Isolation Guidelines for Rural Areas

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Health Department has modified the home isolation rules in rural areas. According to the new guidelines, symptomatic persons in rural areas should be systematically tested for COVID-19 regularly. Further, no home isolation will be normally allowed for any COVID-19 positive person detected in rural areas. However, in exceptional cases, after verifying all the criteria required for home isolation, a few cases can be considered and home isolation allowed strictly according to the criteria and submission of an undertaking to the Circle Officer concerned.

Assam has witnessed a surge in the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases among the rural population of the state. The guideline also states one or more community hall/school/similar infrastructure with safe drinking water, sufficient toilet facility and electricity supply shall be identified and earmarked in each rural area as COVID-19 Care Centres (CCCs).

The nearest Community Health Officer (CHO) and Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) and Accredited Social Health Activities (ASHA) concerned shall be entrusted for maintaining the medical facilities in the CCC along with assistance from the Local Gaon Panchayat authority and District administration for other management and administrative supports.

Only asymptomatic COVID positive cases shall be kept in the CCC.

The overall responsibility of maintenance of strict COVID-19-appropriate protocol in the rural area, including the management of CCCs shall be with the Deputy Commissioner of the district/ SDO(Civil). Necessary expenditures for these activities may be undertaken from the funds available under SDRF or District Health Society following all financial norms.

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