Isolation of asymptomatic patients to end in 5 days

Chennai residents, who are infected with COVID but without any symptoms, can heave a sigh of relief as the duration of home quarantine has been reduced to five from seven days after testing positive, following a directive from the health department.

According to a Corporation official, persons with symptoms should remain under home quarantine for three days after symptoms subside. “Usually, patients infected by the Omicron variant get better within five days. Such patients can end home quarantine three days after their symptoms are cured. For others, home quarantine will be only five days,” the official said.

It may be noted that COVID patients during the first wave were kept under home quarantine for 21 days and once the first wave started to ebb, the number of home quarantine days was reduced to 14 days. During the second wave, patients were kept under home quarantine for 14 days. Subsequently, the duration was reduced to 10 days.

Presently, around 50 per cent of the active cases are under home quarantine in the city. “We are sending persons with symptoms and persons with co-morbid conditions to the hospital for treatment. Other patients are allowed to be in home quarantine. Moreover, hospitals are discharging symptomatic patients after five days of treatment,” the official added.

Meanwhile, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Corporation Commissioner, sent letters to principals and heads of schools in the city requesting them to cooperate with the public health department and Corporation officials to organise special camps for vaccinating children in their institutions. The principals have also been asked to share details of students, teachers and staff in schools with the officials.