Home isolation norms: Non-adherence to COVID guidelines spell disaster & deaths

State cases 1,23,922

Active 28,507

Discharged 95,060

Death 352

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Nearly 40 per cent of the critical COVID-19 positive patients currently undergoing treatment in government and private hospitals across the State, were initially in home isolation. They have turned critical as they didn't adhere to COVID safety protocols during their home isolation.

An official in the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam told The Sentinel that even though around 50 per cent COVID-positive patients are now opting for home isolation, many of them are not following health safety protocols during their home stay. Family members of many patients are also seen not very willing or keen to follow COVID-safety protocols at homes to save themselves from the virus infection.

"Patients opting for home isolation first conceal their actual health status and later raise requests for emergency shifting to hospitals. Deterioration of health condition during home isolation leads to patients arriving at the hospitals in critical state. Patients reaching hospitals in a critical condition is one of the prime reasons for the increasing number of COVID fatalities in the State," the official said.

Many patients don't provide correct phone numbers at the time of submitting home isolation undertakings. Under such circumstances, patients in home isolation don't receive calls from Sarathi 104 during health condition follow-up steps by the tele-medicine medical practitioners.

"Refusal to avail of the tele-medicine health checkup follow-up service from the Sarathi 104 doctors, is another reason for the deterioration of health during home isolation. The family members of positive patients under home isolation are not voluntarily getting themselves tested in the nearest screening centers. Many do not maintain physical distance with the COVID positive patients at home and use common toilets. Such developments also result in the spread of coronavirus to other family creating more health complications," the official said.

A senior doctor at the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) said that 40 per cent of the critical patients at the hospital were initially in home isolation. He added that these patients were shifted to the GMCH when their health condition had deteriorated.

"Home isolation can be the best available option for asymptomatic and mild symptomatic patients considering constraints hospital beds, spaces at the COVID Care Centres, patients' loads on doctors and other health workers. But those in home isolation will have to religiously follow the COVID-safety protocols and government guidelines to prevent an emergency health situation," the doctor said.

He further said that the patients in home isolation must be in constant touch with their private doctors, monitor oxygen saturation through pulse oximeters, check blood pressure, pulse rate and blood glucose level at regular intervals.

"Patients must completely isolate themselves from other family members while undergoing home isolation. They should use a well-ventilated room and separate toilet. They should strictly monitor their health condition for the first one week. In case of any discomfort and complication they must immediately consult their private doctors and Sarathi 104," the doctor said.

The NHM official pointed out that 36.17% COVID-19 positive patients are undergoing in home isolation in Karimganj district, 29.35% in Chirang, 26.30% in Jorhat, 15.20% in Kamrup Metropolitan, 13.34% in Hailakandi, 25.77% in Barpeta, 25.91% in Sivasagar, 20.53% in Lakhimpur, 22.77% in Majuli, 11.55% in Golapara, 18.77% in Biswanath, 32.79% in Charaideo, 31.07% in Baksa, 18.94% in Kokrajhar, 20.66% in Dhemaji and 14.06% in Dibrugarh.

A study conducted recently by a team of researchers and doctors has found that 29.9% patients in home isolation either don't have oximeters or cannot afford to purchase the same. On other hand, 22.3% of these patients do not have any personal or assigned doctors.

The study observed that there is an urgent need to put in place an effective mechanism to monitor the health condition of such patients (in home isolation). If an agency comprising volunteers, doctors and other government officials does the monitoring job, home isolation is the best option for the asymptomatic and also the mild symptomatic patients particularly in the Greater Guwahati areas, the study observed. 

Also Watch: Indefinite Strike by Petrol Pumps of Guwahati