County medical officer offers tips for covid19 patients in home isolation

County medical officer for County Caroni Dr Jeanine St Bernard said, with proper hygiene, covid19 patients in home isolation can prevent transmission of the virus to other members of the family.

Bernard was speaking at the Ministry of Health’s press conference on Monday.

She said, among other things, covid19 patients should sleep in a separate bed or room in the home. She said while she understood that might not always be possible, depending on the number of people living in the home, the family should try wherever possible to isolate the member with covid19.

“We are trying to prevent multiple rounds of self-isolation in the same home,” she said. “Even though we are managing covid19-positive persons in the home, we are still trying to reduce risk of spread…We need to switch modes. Yes, this is your relative, but do not share (items). Stay as far away as you can from the person."

She said all members of the home should continue to wear masks and the member with covid19 should wear medical-grade masks at all times. Masks should be changed regularly, especially in the case of disposable masks.

She urged patients to remember respiratory hygiene.

“Cough and sneeze into your elbow or tissue and immediately dispose (of tissue) and wash your hands.”

She said, wherever possible, the covid19 patient should use a separate bathroom. In cases where that is not possible, the flushing handle should be wiped after each use. “Many people think it is the seat that is the most unhygienic part of the toilet, but it is the handle,” she said.

St Bernard said meals should be placed at the bedroom door for patients to collect and dirty dishes should be left outside the door when they are finished to be collected.

She said the covid19 patient should not move about the house. “Remain as much as possible in one room.”

She said the World Health Organisation (WHO) also recommends that patients with covid19 receive treatment for their symptoms – such as antipyretics for fever and pain, adequate nutrition and appropriate hydration.

“If you develop a fever with covid19 it will require increased need for fluids. You need to be drinking water. You may be dehydrated and you may not even know it.”

She said antibiotics should not be used as treatment.

For those with moderate covid19, antibiotics are only prescribed with evidence of bacterial infections.

St Bernard said, in her county, she had seen many people manage their homes with relatives who were in household contact with a covid19 patient and did not contract the virus.

“It is possible. It is not as if it’s a 100 per cent transmission rate once you are sharing a home with someone who is covid19 positive.”

She said the risk is always there but it depends on the extent to which people are able to isolate from other members of the home.