Amidst rising coronavirus cases and the resultant pressure on the availability of beds, Bihar has decided to allow home isolation of asymptomatic patients, the Economic Times has reported .
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday also ordered for a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be prepared for home isolation and said the matter be deliberated upon, the same newspaper has reported.
Bihar as of Sunday had 9,602 active cases while UP has almost the double number of active cases at 18,256, with UP reporting its highest number of 2250 cases in 24 hours while Bihar saw 1382.
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to allow paid quarantine facility for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in hotels, according to a statement.
Uttar Pradesh has fixed the charges of double-occupancy rooms in hotels at Rs 2,000 per day.
Additional Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) Amit Mohan Prasad on Sunday, in the statement, said hotels acquired by the district administration will be used to keep asymptomatic patients, where they will be given medical treatment.
The charges of a double-occupancy room has been fixed at Rs 2,000 per day.
Citing the government order, Prasad said, “Twenty-five per cent of the rooms of the hotel will be reserved on a single-occupancy basis for women, children and people in the age group of 50-65 years. Rest of the rooms will be given on double occupancy.”
Home isolation Proves to be successful in Delhi
Home isolation is considered to be successful in Delhi.
As most of the patients in Delhi are asymptomatic, the state government, following the Centre’s directive, is advising home isolation. Medical experts have also said that home isolation was better for quicker recovery than admission in hospitals or Covid care centres.
In a Covid-19 review meeting on July 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Delhi model, saying that concerted efforts of Centre, state and local authorities had helped contain the pandemic situation in the Capital. He said other states could adopt a similar approach in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Delhi Government aggressively promoted home isolation of COVID-positive patients who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. These constitute almost 80% of all COVID-positive cases. It ensured medical help and consultation for such patients. This meant that patients could recover in the comfort and emotional security of their homes.
Outlook quoted well-known psychologist Dr Alok K Mishra as saying “if medical care is ensured in home isolation, it is one of the best strategies to fight against Covid-19. Often patients under home isolation live in fear that what if his health situation deteriorates. This gives anxiety and his ailment further gets aggravated but if he gets medical care, he becomes confident and remains happy in a homely atmosphere.”
Home isolation Preferred Choice in Bihar
Home isolation appears to be the preferred choice of a majority of those who have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus in Patna with around 57% patients so far opting for this mode to recover from this contagious disease, reported the Time of India .
According to Bihar’s principal health secretary Uday Singh Kumawat’s directive, hotel rooms in Patna with food will be charged at Rs 4000, Rs 3000 at divisional headquarters and Rs 2500 per room in other district level of hotels.
The health department will bear the cost of paid-isolation for infected health professionals and workers.
“The districts magistrates can also reserve rooms in the hotels of their districts at lower rates also,” mentions the directive.