Bengal Makes Caregivers Must For Those In Self-Isolation For Coronavirus

West Bengal has made it mandatory for those with very mild symptoms of novel coronavirus or are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic to have a caregiver during their self-isolation, officials said on Wednesday.

The state health department in its orders said that the people who opt for home isolation should also submit an undertaking that self-isolation guidelines will be followed by them.

"Such cases should have adequate facility at their residences for self-isolation and also for quarantine of the family contacts. A caregiver should be available at their residence to provide care on 24x7 basis," the notification issued by the health department said.

The caregiver and all close contacts of such people should take hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol and as prescribed by the medical officer treating them, it added.

"The patient will agree to monitor his health. For further follow up by surveillance teams, the patient and the caregiver will regularly inform his health status to the district surveillance officer," the notification said.

According to the protocol issued by the state health department on May 11, the patient or caregiver should download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones and keep active their Bluetooth and data at all times.

The notification also detailed when to seek medical attention during home isolation.

"Immediate medical attention must be sought if anyone develops serious symptoms like difficulty in breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, mental confusion or inability to arouse the patients, developing bluish discolorations of lips or face or has been advised by the treating medical officer," it added.

The department while outlining signs for discontinuing home isolation for patients said that it could be done after 17 days from the onset of the symptoms with at least 10 days since the remission of fever or after 17 days from the date of sampling for pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic cases.

"There is no need for swab testing by RT-PCR after the home isolation period is over," it added.

On Tuesday the number of COVID-19 cases in West Bengal had increased to 2,173, of which 1,364 are active.