COVID-19: Kerala to start 'home care isolation' with health care workers in first phase

The COVID-19 asymptomatic patients can avail home care isolation in case they wish, as per the ICMR guidelines. This will be implemented for the infected healthcare workers in the first phase on the trial basis, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday.

"Home care isolation will be implemented on an experimental basis for healthcare workers. They have been initially selected as they are aware of the system. However, at the same time, no one is being forced into home isolation. Interested healthcare workers will have to give an affidavit," the CM said while addressing the media.

Speaking about the asymptomatic patients, Vijayan said, "The home care isolation will be implemented in the state for asymptomatic patients, based on the ICMR guidelines and the recommendations of the expert panel. Most of the people infected by the pandemic have no symptoms and they do not require much treatment. They are placed in CFLTCs so that the disease is not spread on others. These patients can be at home but must fully comply with isolation conditions."

Vijayan added that the home quarantine was a successful component to tackle the pandemic.

Staying alone in a toilet attached room at home was effective in preventing the spread of the disease. In the same way, home care isolation will be allowed only if such a room is available in the house, he said.

"The state has a total of 25,536 beds ready in 176 institutions. This includes 8,715 beds in 29 COVID-19 hospitals, 984 beds in 25 other government hospitals, 14,894 beds in 103 CFLTCs and 943 beds in 19 private hospitals. Therefore, there is no need for concern that treatment that the treatments won't be available if the number of cases increases", Vijayan added.

( With inputs from ANI )