COVID-19: Karnataka revises discharge policy

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 27 : As the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving, the Government of India (GoI) and the Karnataka government have revised discharge policy from time to time based on recent scientific evidence about the virus.
The revised discharge policy of GoI and Karnataka government were based on recent findings that patients whose symptoms have resolved may still test positive for the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) by RT-PCR for many weeks, said the Government of Karnataka in a revised circular.
Despite this positive test result, these patients are not likely to be infectious and therefore are unlikely to transmit the virus to another person.
In this regard, the Supreme Court of India has directed all states to uniformly follow the discharge policy of the Government of India. Hence, this revised discharge policy is issued in the suppression of the previous circular/s and also incorporates the revised guidelines for the release of COVID positive persons from home isolation/home care.
"All COVID institutions/hospitals in the state, both government and private are hereby instructed to strictly adhere to this revised discharged policy," the circular asserted.
All COVID positive cases shall be isolated and treated under home isolation/home care at dedicated COVID hospital (DCH) or Dedicated Health Centre (DCHC) or COVID Care Centre (CCC) both in public and private.
It said, for asymptomatic individuals, all cases shall undergo temperature and pulse oximetry checks.
Asymptomatic individuals with a positive COVID test report, who continues to remain asymptomatic during their stay in the hospital, shall be discharged 10 days after the positive test for COVID-19.
There is no need for an RT-PCR/CBNAAT/True-NAT test before the discharge of the patient.
For mild and moderate cases, all cases shall undergo regular temperatures and pulse oximetry checks.
The patient shall be discharged after 10 days of symptom/s only if the following criteria is met -- no fever and no symptoms for the last three consecutive days before discharge (without antipyretics).
It said for severe cases including immunocompromised, all cases shall undergo regular temperature and pulse oximetry checks.
The patient shall be discharged after complete clinical recovery if following criteria is met -- no fever and no symptoms for the last three consecutive days before discharge. Maintaining saturation above 95 per cent for the last four days (without oxygen support).
One RT-PCR/CBNAAT/True-Test shall be done three days after complete clinical recovery and the patient has to be discharged if the report is negative. If the report is positive, the swab test shall be repeated after 72 hours.