79 +ve patients discharged in Jalandhar as per new SOP

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 15

The Health Department, in consonance with the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prescribed by the Government of India, on Friday discharged 79 patients, who were found Covid positive, but were asymptomatic and fit.

These patients were discharged from the local Civil Hospital after a team of doctors led by Senior Medical Officer Dr Kashmiri Lal thoroughly examined them. Civil Surgeon Dr Gurinder Chawla and Medical Superintendent Dr Harinder Singh said as per the new SOP, patients who were mild/ moderate symptomatic at the time of admission to the isolation facility and became symptom-free would be considered for discharge from facility and would be advised home isolation. They said the patient would be eligible for discharge after the 10 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for three days with oxygen saturation (SpO, over 93 per cent) without oxygen support. They said as per the directions, the patient should be clinically assessed for the resolution of symptoms by the treating medical officer.

The Civil Surgeon and Medical Superintendent said the patient should be carefully monitored by the treating medical officer and record of temperature, oxygenation level (with pulse oxymeter) or any other relevant signs/symptoms. They said the patient, who was being discharged, should have the requisite facilities at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts, i.e. clean, well-ventilated rooms with attached washrooms for patient/home contacts. They said the treating medical officer would certify that the patient was symptom-free as per guidelines and fit for home isolation. They said the patient would give the undertaking for self-isolation to ensure the availability of adequate facilities for isolation.

The Civil Surgeon and Medical Superintendent said a caregiver would be available to provide service on 24x7 basis, adding that a communication link between the caregiver and hospital would be established for the entire duration of home isolation.

They said care giver and all close contacts should take hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per the protocol and as prescribed by the treating medical officer. They said the patient should be instructed to follow social distancing.

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