What to do If You Are in Isolation at Home or Looking After Someone Who is: BMC's Full List of Guidelines

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday issued a fresh set of guidelines for Mumbai residents as the city has constantly reported surge in number of fresh Covid-19 cases. The new rules are for those who have tested positive for coronavirus and are under home isolation and for their caregivers.

Mumbai on Saturday recorded 8,811 new cases and 51 fatalities, taking the city’s case tally to 5,71,018 and the death toll to 12,301.

In case patient develops fresh symptoms or there is worsening of symptoms, you can contact BMC ward control room during emergency for booking an ambulance or a hospital bed. Here are the emergency numbers given by the BMC:

Here are some instructions by the BMC for Covid-19 patients under home isolation and their caregivers:

Instructions for Patients Under Home Isolation

– Download Aarogya Setu app and should be active at all times.

– Separate well ventilated room with attached toilets. Do not share space with other family members.

– Don’t share personal items with other members.

– Strictly follow the physician’s instructions and take your routine medicines as prescribed by your doctor.

– Self monitor your health and inform your physician or BMC ward room if you develop any deterioration of symptoms.

– Clean surfaces in the room that are touched often (tabletops, doorknobs, handles, etc.) once or twice a day with 1 per cent hypochlorite solution.

– Wash your hands with soap and water at least for 40 seconds using seven steps of hand washing. Ideally, wash hands every 2 hours / before and after eating / after using the toilet / and whenever hands look dirty. Use dedicated clean hand towels for drying your hands.

– Take adequate rest 7-8 hours a day.

– Drink lots of fluids to maintain adequate hydration. Water intake: 8-10 cups.

– Steam inhalation and warm water gargles.

– Eat a healthy high protein diet, with three meals per day, containing adequate vegetables and fruits.

– Senior citizens and patients having co-morbities like Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Asthama, Cancer, Kidney/Lung /Heart diseases have to take special care and consult their doctor regularly.

– Patients who are under home isolation are advised to carry out the following investigations at their own expense from pathology testing labs: CBC, Fasting Sugar, LFT, RFT, HbA1C.

– The patients under home isolation or discharged from a hospital (post COVID) must keep a close check on their symptoms. In case of worsening of any symptoms, immediately contact the nearby post COVID OPD at a BMC or private hospital or contact your physician for a check-up.

Instructions for the Caregiver

– Assign one person who is in good health and no co-morbities as a caregiver.

– Limit movement of patient to the assigned room.

– No shared space with the patient.

– No visitors in the house until complete patient recovery.

– Wear a triple layer medical mask/N95 mask appropriately (covering both mouth, nose and well fitted to the face). Ideally all the time but especially when in the same room as the patient.

– Wash hands immediately after coming in contact with patient or patient’s immediate environment.

– Use of PPEs (triple-layered medical mask, gloves, plastic apron) while handling the patient.

– Ensure that all close contacts shall remain in home quarantine and not leave the house.

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 67,123 fresh coronavirus cases, its highest single-day increase so far, taking the tally to 37,70,707, the state health department said. Besides, 419 deaths due to the pandemic were reported in the state, which pushed the death toll to 59,970.

State Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Friday said people must get their Covid-19 test reports quickly, while officials must also ensure optimum medical oxygen supply as well as effective bed and medicine management amid the surge in case. The Chief Minister chaired a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation in Mumbai, which was also attended by BMC commissioner IS Chahal.

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