PUNE: The state health department on Saturday directed the local authorities to strengthen the home isolation module in the wake of rising Omicron cases — mostly mild and asymptomatic — in the state, stressing on the need to strengthen the monitoring of such patients.
“Special teams may be constituted to monitor all home isolation cases. Call centres and control rooms must aid outbound calling for monitoring such patients, besides ensuring that they can be shifted to an appropriate health facility in dedicated ambulances in case of deterioration in their condition,” said an official of the state health department, after the Centre on Saturday said a large number of Covid positive patients might be eligible for home isolation.
The Centre suggested that the states should monitor the home isolation protocols’ implementation at the field-level. Many states have rolled out home isolation modules with mild Omicron cases on the rise.
The state Covid task force members stated that all local authorities should strictly implement the home isolation protocols with focus on any cluster outbreaks. They also stressed on special attention to Covid patients with comorbidities.
Public health expert Dr Shashank Joshi said, “The cases are expected to rise, and we have to focus on three parameters — death, hospitalisation and oxygen requirement. As long as these parameters are under control, we only need to identify the vulnerable people whose condition may deteriorate.”
He said, “The transition time to separate Delta and Omicron patients will be critical. The role of the S-deletion test will continue to be crucial. Those who have a common cold should connect with their doctors. Home management of patients will remain the key. Vigilance and caution should continue.”
Another health expert said the transmission rate of Omicron was much higher than the Delta variant, but hospitalisation of patients infected with the new variant would be less compared to Delta infection. “Within weeks, Omicron will replace Delta in 80-90% of the patients. But the severity of the disease will be low, which will lessen the need for hospitalisation,” he said.
“It is believed that the healthcare facilities won’t get overwhelmed despite the surge in Omicron cases as most of the patients are expected to have mild symptoms,” said a senior health official.
