THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Differing approaches of the state government for discharging a Covid-19 patient from the hospital and admitting a recovered patient for other ailments have put the so-called cured persons in a fix.
The health department guidelines say a Covid patient can be discharged from the hospital if the person’s antigen test shows the person is negative.
However, if the same person has to be admitted in a hospital for another medical condition, even if it is an emergency, he/she has to produce the Covid-negative result after an RT-PCR test.
This is exactly what had happened with the wife of N C Sherif who lost her twin foetuses due to the delay in getting medical care.
Two private hospitals in Malappuram turned her away citing that she didn’t have have the RT-PCR Covid-negative result, though the hospital authorities were told that they had the antigen test result issued by health department when she was discharges from the Covid treatment centre on September 15.
Earlier, another Covid-recovered person, Savio Joseph of Thrissur, told TNIE that he was unable to undergo a shoulder surgery at a private hospital even a month after being discharged from a Covid hospital because he also did not have the RT-PCR test result showing he was negative for Covid.
He was positive in RT-PCR tests done twice even after he had fully recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Kerala’s Nodal Officer for Public Health Emergencies (coronavirus & H1N1), Dr Amar Fettle, said, “The state has to follow two different approaches for discharge and admission. During the time of discharge, an antigen test is enough to determine whether the patient has recovered from the illness. The transmission of Covid virus takes place mainly in its early stage. Hence, the health department insists on the RT-PCR negative certificate during the time of admission of a person in a hospital for various medical purposes. During the time of discharge, the health department can make sure that there was no infectivity in the person through the antigen test and the person discharged from the hospital will have to follow a set of instructions even after his discharge. But during the time of admission, everybody would be at risk if a person is infected with the virus,” he said.
Dr Aravind R, member of the Kerala State Expert Committee for Covid-19, said, “A Covid-recovered person can seek admission in a hospital based on the Covid-negative certificate issued by the health department. But it’s true that there is a lack of clarity on this part and that is why the private hospitals insist on RT-PCR negative certificate. By issuing a special certificate to Covid-recovered person, the state can sort out this issue,” he said, adding that he would bring this issue to the attention of the government to sort it out.