The World Health Organization (WHO) issued updated Covid-19 guidelines specifying isolation period, mandatory mask-wearing, clinical management and COVID-19 treatment.
Isolation period for COVID-19 patients
The isolation period has been reduced to 10 days from the date of symptom onset. The WHO, previously, advised to isolate for 10 days after symptom onset, plus at least three additional days since their symptoms had resolved.
It also advised that a COVID-19 patient can be discharged from isolation early if they test negative on an antigen-based rapid test.
For those who test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any signs or symptoms, WHO now suggests 5 days of isolation in the absence of testing, compared to 10 days previously.
Mandatory masks
The WHO advised people not to let their guard down and continue wearing masks irrespective of the local epidemiological situation, given the current spread of COVID-19 globally.
WHO advises that there are instances when a mask may be suggested like local epidemiological trends or rising hospitalization levels, vaccination coverage, immunity in the community, and the setting people find themselves in.
COVID-19 treatments
WHO has extended its strong recommendation for the use of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (also known by its brand name ‘Paxlovid’).
However, pregnant or breastfeeding women with non-severe COVID-19 are advised to consult with their doctor, due to ‘likely benefits’ and a lack of adverse events having been reported.
WHO also reviewed the evidence on two other medicines, sotrovimab and casirivimab-imdevimab, and maintains strong recommendations against their use for treating COVID-19
There are currently six proven treatment options for patients with COVID-19, three that prevent hospitalization in high-risk persons and three that save lives in those with the severe or critical disease.
Except for corticosteroids, access to other drugs remains unsatisfactory globally.
Alarming Covid count in China
WHO's latest guideline comes at a time when China revealed its data for a little over a month, which took the global community’s breath away. Its National Health Commission (NHC) revealed the country had recorded as many as 59,938 Covid-related deaths between December 8 and January 12.
WHO had also appealed to China to keep releasing information about its wave of COVID-19 infections after the government announced nearly 60,000 deaths since early December following weeks of complaints it was failing to tell the world what was happening.
Covid cases in India
India recorded 89 new coronavirus infections, the lowest since March 27, 2020, while the active cases declined to 2,035, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The Covid case tally stood at 4.46 crore (4,46,81,233). The death toll stands at 5,30,726, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The daily positivity was recorded at 0.05 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.09 per cent.
The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent, the ministry said.
(With inputs from agencies)