Medical workers help at-home COVID patients in Tam Hiệp, Hà Nội. — Photo VNA/VNS

HÀ NỘI — New, relaxed guidelines have been issued for COVID patients receiving home treatment. 

The Ministry of Health says regulations have been eased - and people with coronavirus can leave their isolation areas at home if absolutely necessary to do so, as long as they wear masks and keep apart from other people. But these movements are still restricted within their home. 

In a new guideline to manage COVID-19 at home issued yesterday, the Ministry of Health said COVID-19 patients should try not to leave quarantine, but if they have to, masks and social distancing are required.

The ministry has also announced that it will recognise self-tests carried out by patients, caregivers, or family members instead of health staff as required in the past.

Compared to previous guidance issued on January 31 and March 3 by the MOH, an additional requirement is also added for at-home isolation rooms.

A separated isolation space is required for at-home COVID patients, and the space must have open windows and cannot use a common air conditioner as the other spaces in a house.

According to the guidance, an at-home COVID patient is defined as a person with a either positive RT-PCR result or a positive rapid antigen test result conducted at home or by a medical worker.

The patient is either asymptomatic or has mild symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste; the SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) must be above or equal to 96 per cent, without any sign of breathing difficulty or respiratory failure.

At-home patients should not have underlying medical conditions, if they do, the condition must be properly and stably managed for them to qualify for at-home treatment.

Recovered COVID patients after treatment at facilities are also sent home to continue their recovery and are classified as treating at home.

The guidance also states information for the health declaration process of COVID patients.

Patients must inform their local health facilities about their personal information, the time they are registered as a patient, the number of isolated people at home, and the time when the isolation period ends.

Local health authorities will then gather data and make a list accordingly.

At-home COVID patients must be equipped with a thermometer, masks, hand wash, and a wastebasket with a lid.

They must also have access to necessary drugs such as anti-fever, oresol, cough syrups. People with underlying conditions must have prescribed drugs for the management of their medical condition.

Patients should not look to leave their isolation areas unless necessary, but if they do, they must wear masks and socially distance themselves from other people. — VNS