In view of the currently limited knowledge of the disease caused by COVID-19 infection and its transmission patterns, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) yesterday came up with a set of recommendations for coronavirus patients in a press release. These recommendations would ensure both safety and quality of health care and public health security. The DGHS recommendations include placing the infected person in a well-ventilated single room. It suggests that household members should stay in a different room or, if that is not possible, maintain a distance of at least one meter from the ill person. The infected person has also been advised to keep away animals.

If the infected person lives with other people he or she must use a toilet and bathroom that no one else in the house uses. The infected person must himself put his used laundry in a plastic bag. He then must wash these clothes with detergent of soap himself, the DGHS said.

The release reads that the infected person must wear mask in case of going out of house and masks must be changed after every use. These masks must also be discarded. Gloves, tissues, masks and other waste generated by ill persons or in the care of ill persons should be placed in a lined container in the ill person’s room before disposal with other household waste, it read further.

While coughing or spitting the infected person must use a clean tissue, put it into a waste bag and wash hands.

Eating utensils and dishes should be cleaned with either soap or detergent and water after use and may be re-used instead of being discarded and persons with symptoms should remain at home until their symptoms are resolved based on either clinical and/or laboratory findings, the release said.

If symptoms appear he or she must contact the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control And Research  (IEDCR) immediately, advised the release.

Additionally the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a recent release said the healthcare providers must also follow some directions while rendering healthcare to COVID-19 patients. They must notify the receiving medical facility that a symptomatic contact will be coming to their facility. They must avoid public transportation to the health care facility, if possible; call an ambulance or transport the ill person with a private vehicle and open the windows of the vehicle if possible. Appropriate hand hygiene should be employed by the ill contact and caregivers. Any surfaces that become soiled with respiratory secretions or body fluids during transport should be cleaned and disinfected with regular household containing a diluted bleach solution.

IK