THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government of Kerala has decided to send asymptomatic healthcare workers tested positive of Covid-19 to undergo home isolation. The health department has issued advisory to be followed for the same.
The asymptomatic healthcare worker will be subjected to an antigen test on the tenth day and if tested negative, further seven days of rest has been advised. They should self-monitor daily for any symptoms and inform the respective institution if any symptoms are developed.
Then they will have to undergo further testing at the treatment centre and the treatment guidelines based on the Covid protocol. They have also been asked to give a self-declaration that they would strictly adhere to the room isolation and the guidelines. There should not be any senior citizens at the home and also persons with comorbidity.
A healthy adult and willing caretaker should be identified by the family for providing care to the healthcare worker observing all safety precautions as per isolation guidelines. Close contact with other family members, sharing common spaces, and sharing common household objects are prohibited, says the advisory.
The home care directive for the healthcare workers with mild or no symptoms have been demanded by the doctors and the nurses for long. At present the doctors, nurses, field workers and other para medical staff who are tested positive are undergoing isolation for two weeks in the hospitals itself.
The state government is also now considering sending the asymptomatic people tested positive for home care. At present they are admitted at the first line treatment centres. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself has urged the health department to consider sending such cases for home care like the way other states are being doing when the cases surged.