The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has released a guideline on home Isolation.
In a tweet, the ministry said: “if you have tested positive for COVID-19, you are required to isolate at home for ten days. Here is how you can do it safely.”
The ministry has laid out a nine-point guideline.
First is to stay in a room with ensuite bathroom separated from other family members for the first five days; second, ensuring proper ventilation; third, not allowing visitors into the house; fourth, you must not leave your house; fifth, use your phone if you need to contact anyone else in the house.
Also, ask others – a family member or friend to run errands for you like buying food or medicine; seventh, only one member of the family should be allowed to provide care for you. Your caregiver should wear a face mask and gloves every time they enter your room and should dispose of the mask and gloves and wash their hands immediately after leaving the room. A distance of at least one metre should be maintained between you and your caregiver at all times.
Moreover, it says that following the first five days of isolation, you are permitted to leave your room, but should wear mask at all times when around other people in your household. And lastly, contact 16000 if you have any questions or concerns.
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Communicable Disease Centre doctor Dr. Muna Al Maslamani earlier said that home isolation is safe for people with mild or moderation COVID-19 symptoms.
“It is safe and appropriate for people who test positive for COVID-19 but only have mild or moderate symptoms to isolate at home for ten days following their positive test. There is no need for them to be admitted to a hospital or government isolation facility. This is particularly true for those below 50 years of age and people in good health,” she explained.
HMC Medical Director, Dr. Yousef Al Maslamani, said that people with mild or moderate symptoms need not to seek help from HMC’s emergency team.
“They can safely isolate at home for ten days following their positive test result,” he added.
The principal healthcare provider also urged the public to call its hotline 999 for critical medical emergencies.
Ambulance Service Assistant Executive Director, Ali Darwish, said: “We ask people with non-emergency conditions to make their own way to a relevant health facility and not request an ambulance transfer. This includes people with mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms.”
“As always, we remain available and ready to support anyone with an urgent, life-threatening medical emergency and these individuals should not hesitate to call 999,” he added.
