New discharge policy for COVID-19 patients has been proving a boon for patients who don’t have any symptoms but are waiting for their two consecutive negative reports. About 7-8 patients were discharged from Maharaja Tukojirao Hospital on Sunday under the same policy.
Dean of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Dr Jyoti Bindal said the new policy is useful in reducing burden of patients in hospitals and also lessening the burden of doctors working tirelessly.
“We have been discharging patients under the new policy and it is helpful in easing the burden of the hospitals and doctors. Only those patients were released who have proper facility for home isolation at their place,” she added.
Meanwhile, HoD of Medicine Department Dr VP Pandey said the policy is also helping patients to prevent them from slipping into depression. “This will help in discharging large number of patients who was recovered from the disease but couldn’t be discharged from the hospital due to lack of two consecutive negative reports. It also saved people from loneliness and depression,” he said.
Dr Pandey said those positive patients who didn’t have fever for last three days and have no symptoms for last 10 days can be discharged but should be kept on home isolation for 14 days.
New discharged policy
1. Mild/very mild/pre-symptomatic cases admitted to a COVID Care Facility will undergo regular temperature and pulse oximetry monitoring. The patient can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for 3 days. There will be no need for testing prior to discharge. At the time of discharge, the patient will be advised to follow the home isolation for further 7 days as per guidelines of MoHFW. At any point of time, prior to discharge from CCC, if the oxygen saturation dips below 95%, patient is moved to Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC).
After discharge from the facility, if he/she again develops symptoms of fever, cough or breathing difficulty he will contact the COVID Care Centre or State helpline or 1075. His/her health will again be followed up through tele-conference on 14th day.
2. Patients whose symptoms resolve within 3 days and maintains saturation above 95% for the next 4 days Cases clinically classified as “moderate cases” will undergo monitoring of body temperature and oxygen saturation. If the fever resolves within 3 days and the patient maintains saturation above 95% for the next 4 days (without oxygen support), such patient will be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset in case of: Absence of fever without antipyretics, resolution of breathlessness, No oxygen requirement There will be no need for testing prior to discharge.
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