Uttar Pradesh To Follow Home Isolation Model Like Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal Takes A Bow

New Delhi: On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh government finally gave the nod for home isolation strategy for asymptomatic patients of COVID-19. Till now, in Uttar Pradesh, anyone with or without symptoms, who had tested positive for the highly contagious virus was admitted to either an L1 (for asymptomatic cases), L2 (for cases with mild symptoms) or L3 (for critical cases) category hospitals, paid private COVID hospitals or paid isolation facilities in hotels. Now, the government has issued directions to allow home isolation of patients who show no symptoms for the disease.

Also Read: In Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad, Violating Coronavirus Guidelines Can Land You In A ‘Mask Ki Class’

Awanish Awasthi, UP’s Additional Chief Secretary stated that chief minister Yogi Adityanath has issued the directions for which guidelines are being formed and will be announced soon. He said,

Those who will now be allowed for home isolation should ensure they comply strictly with all the guidelines to ensure that their family members, as well as others, do not get infected. Moreover, asymptomatic patients who have HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), cancer or have had an organ transplant will be exempted from home isolation and have to mandatorily be admitted to hospitals if they test positive for COVID-19.

Also Read: COVID-19: 31.6 Lakh People In Quarantine Across India, Uttar Pradesh Has The Highest Number

This move by the government aims to reduce pressure on hospitals as the coronavirus cases number in the state is at 51,610, as of July 21.
Talking about why this move has been taken now, Mr Awasthi added,

During the review meeting on the COVID situation in the state is was observed that many people with mild symptoms were not getting tested just to avoid hospitalisation. So, to overcome this challenge, the government decided to follow home isolation guidelines, even though we have sufficient numbers of beds in all the L-1, L-2, and L-3 COVID hospitals.

According to the government, the state has over 1.5 lakh beds in 403 L-1 hospitals, 75 L-2 (oxygen supply facility) hospitals, and 25 L-3 (ventilators) hospitals.

Speaking to the news agency PTI, State Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh said that home isolation would reduce pressure on hospitals as 85 per cent patients are asymptomatic. He added,

Home isolation will only be for asymptomatic patients. If anyone has a flu or fever, he will be kept in a hospital.

Reacting to the news from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lauded the decision of the government to allow home isolation for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and tweeted,

I am glad that all governments are recognising the importance of home isolation. For Delhi, home isolation along with aggressive testing has been the most important strategies in the fight against COVID-19.

Am glad all govts are recognizing the importance of home isolation.

For Delhi, home isolation alongwith aggressive testing have been most important strategies. https://t.co/43VMGliUYS

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 20, 2020

Also Read: Health Minister Satyendar Jain Explains Delhi’s Model Against Coronavirus, Shares His Experience Of Battling The Disease

NDTV also spoke to residents and authority members of sector 37, Noida about the new home isolation rule. Welcoming the move by the government, Chairman, Arun Vihar Residents Welfare Association, Col Shashi Vaid said,

It is a much-needed move by the government. In the recent past, we have realised that patients do hesitate to get checked for COVID-19 thinking they will have to leave everything behind and move to some or the other hospitals. With home isolation guideline in place, we hope to contain the spread of the virus. But with this government will also need to ramp up its testing facilities. In the recent past, Arun Vihar had become one of the urban clusters with more than 15 active cases in sector 28, 29 and 37. Even with such a situation, till now, no contact tracing has been done by the authorities. They need to start doing random testing to curb the spread of the virus.

59-year-old and a resident of Sector 37, Noida, Virendra Sharma reiterating the point about testing for coronavirus said,

We need to be sure on how it will be implemented – what will be the guidelines and how home isolation will work out only then one can say if it is a positive move or not. Surely, there is a relief that now COVID-19 patients will not have to leave their house and families to get treated but on the other hand, the most important question remains how the government will keep a check on home isolated patient’s health.

Also Read: ‘Pehle Duty, Fir Beti’: A Constable In Uttar Pradesh Chooses Duty Over His New Born Baby Amid Coronavirus Crisis In Country

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