27% in home care, new system reduces burden on hospitals
KOCHI: The recent swell in the number of active Covid-19 patients and the situation where most of the fresh cases are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic have given traction to government’s proposal for increased home treatment. Despite its inherent challenges, 27% of the active patients are undergoing treatment at their homes currently. The aim is to ensure that the hospitals aren’t unnecessarily burdened, especially considering that the case load will certainly increase in the coming days.
As per the figures as of Friday, Kerala has 35,724 active Covid cases. “At a time when Covid cases are on the rise and healthcare workers are getting affected, there is no harm in treating asymptomatic patients at home if they fulfil all required health department criteria,” said Dr Anup R Warrier, infectious disease expert.
This system works because most of the patients do not require any special care or drugs, for that matter. While isolation is enough to ensure that they do not pass on the virus, proper rest and food make sure that they recover from the infection in a matter of days, he said.
“If the patients have symptoms like high fever, breathing issues and sore throat, they will not be allowed to stay at home. They will be shifted to the nearby First-Line Treatment Centre or Covid hospital, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
In the home care system, if only one or two persons in the family have tested positive, they should be isolated in a separate room. And, if there are any vulnerable people at home, they should be shifted to another place,” said a health official.
Even private hospitals are given the option of discharging asymptomatic Covid patients with their consent to continue treatment at home. “In scenarios where the entire families, comprising four-six or more members, test positive and getting admitted to hospitals, they are occupying hospital beds that could otherwise be used for accommodating symptomatic patients. In such a case, the patients can be discharged with the consent of the DMO and the patients themselves. After being discharged, the patients are monitored by health department. In the last two weeks, we have discharged 15-20 patients in a similar manner,” said a doctor in Ernakulam.
However, there are some serious challenges to this system, especially if the infected family stays in an apartment complex. “Usually, neighbours make a fuss. Though the patients are not allowed to step out of their homes, it is very difficult to convince them,” added the health official.
A patient who is undergoing treatment at his home said there is daily telephonic monitoring by the health department. “Our family has five members and all, except my younger daughter, have tested positive and, therefore, she is in room isolation. Since my wife had high fever, she was shifted to a CFLTC. We have my brother staying nearby to get essentials for us. We collect the essentials dropped off at the gate. It is better this way. At least, we get to stay at home and have homely food,” he said.