Home isolation allowed for mildly symptomatic patients in Mumbai, period reduced to 7 days

Authorities said they were keeping an eye on a new strain of the Delta variant of the virus which is also spreading in England, but believed existing vaccines could cope with it. (Image: Reuters)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday said the COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms can stay in home isolation instead of institutional quarantine or hospital.

Amid an exponential rise in cases in Mumbai, the BMC also reduced the minimum period of home isolation to seven days from the earlier 14 days.

According to fresh guidelines issued by the BMC on Thursday night, home isolation will continue for at least seven days from testing positive. It can end after the patient does not report fever for three days in a row.

"There is no need for re-testing after the home isolation period is over," said the guidelines, mainly based on the union government’s guidelines about home quarantine issued on January 5, 2022.

High risk contacts of COVID-19 patients will be home quarantined for 7 days. "Asymptomatic low-risk contacts of infected individuals need not undergo COVID test," said the guidelines.

Home isolation guidelines will be applicable to COVID-19 patients who have been clinically assessed as "mild or asymptomatic". Asymptomatic patients are those whose infection has been confirmed but who are not experiencing any symptoms, and have oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 per cent.

"Clinically assigned mild cases are patients with upper respiratory tract symptoms with or without fever, without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 per cent," the guidelines added.

Patients eligible for home isolation but not having requisite facilities at their residence (for lack of space or other reasons) will be shifted to designated CCC2 (COVID Care center-2).

At home, a caregiver (ideally someone who has completed COVID-19 vaccination) should be available to provide care on 24×7 basis. Senior citizens and those with co-morbid conditions will only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating Medical Officer or Doctor.

"Patients suffering from immuno-compromised status (HIV patients, transplant recipients, those undergoing cancer therapy, etc.) are not recommended for home isolation and shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating Medical Officer/Doctor," the guidelines said.

The home isolation period for the patients and close contacts was 14 days earlier. The city reported more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday.