What to do if you test positive for COVID in Bengaluru

The four step strategy - prevention, detection, isolation and intervention -- to fight COVID-19.

India is in the grip of a second wave of COVID-19. What’s more, a new double mutated strain of SARS CoV2 has been detected. This is in addition to the Brazilian, South African and the UK strains. Reports of re-infection and positive cases among vaccinated people are coming in from various parts of the country.

The new strain(s) are more infectious and affect a younger population. Cases of children being infected are being recorded. Ominously, the new COVID cases may not be detected by routine RT-PCR tests. The R-value is increasing (R-value is the reproductive value which indicates how many others a positive person may infect)

How to protect oneself

Deploying the four-step strategy of PDII is the best known way of protecting oneself from COVID.

  1. P – Prevention
  2. D – Detection
  3. I – Isolation
  4. I – Intervention

Prevention

  1. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you need to step out, either opt for double masking (cloth + surgical mask) or an N95 mask 
  2. Social distancing: keep a minimum distance of 6 feet from others. Avoid unventilated places.
  3. Scrubbing: wash your hands regularly.
  4. Shielding: do not touch your face when you are in public. 

Detection

Pay attention and catch symptoms early. With mutations of the virus, the symptoms are also expanding. 
Get an RT-PCR test done.

Last year’s symptoms: Dry cough, fever, weakness, breathing problems, loss of smell/taste.

New symptoms: Apart from above, any of the following symptoms could be present:

  • Headache
  • Mild diarrhea
  • Body ache
  • Weakness
  • Uneasy feeling
  • Vomiting
  • Hearing problems
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Myalgia (muscle pain)

Isolation

At the onset of symptoms, the patient should be isolated in a well-ventilated room with an attached bathroom, so that she does not have to step out for 10 days.

The Karnataka government’s guidelines — through its circular dated 20.04.2021 — specifies what makes a patient eligible for home isolation/home care, and also the criteria to be used for shifting the person to a CCC (COVID Care Centre), DCHC (Dedicated COVID Health Centre) or DCH (Dedicated COVID Hospital).

Eligibility for home isolation

  • Patient should be clinically assigned as an asymptomatic/mild case through telephonic triage or by the health staff/medical officer/physician. 
  • Has mild fever < 38 deg C (< 1OO.4 Deg F)
  • Oxygen saturation should be >= 95% 
  • Elderly patients aged more than 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/ liver/ kidney disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc. shall be allowed home isolation/home care only after proper clinical evaluation by the treating medical officer/physician/ family doctor
  • Patient should have the requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining family contacts
  • A caregiver should be available to provide care on a 24 X 7 basis
  • The patient should provide a signed undertaking for self-isolation/home care and follow guidelines of home isolation/home care

Exceptions

  • Home isolation/home care shall not be applicable for pregnant women two weeks before the expected date of delivery. 
  • If symptoms increase in the next 12-24 hours, the patient must be shifted to CCC/DCHC depending on the situation
  • When the house is not suitable for isolating the patient at home
  • Shifting of the person may also be considered if the asymptomatic person opts for CCC.

Intervention

Timely medical intervention

Monitoring COVID-19

monitering-parameters-of-covid-patients
GOK Circular Guidelines for Management of COVID – A point of Care Approach (Version
4.0)
dated 20.04.21
*Parameters : A & B – Home Isolation **C to F is part of the institutional care approach

If you test positive, keep these handy:

Information
1) Contacts of family doctor/neighbourhood doctor, RWA office bearers/local volunteers
2) Contact numbers of COVID helpline of your district, district hospital, ambulance, medical store, medical oxygen cylinder provider, local plasma bank, people who have recovered recently from COVID-19, private and government COVID-19 testing labs servicing your area.

Documents
1) Insurance details, medical records, list of allergies, etc.
2) Form for COVID testing: Spare copies with data filled for everybody, to save on exertion when you are sick
3) Home isolation declaration, printed, with a few spare copies and extra blank sheet

Other Items
1) Finger pulse oximeter with spare batteries. Epidemiologist Rifa Khan suggests procuring one per family, or the local RWA or apartment association could keep a few stocked.
2) Face masks, thermometers, regular medicines
3) Toiletry and sanitation kit
4) Water bottle and cutlery (for use during quarantine), electric kettle and electric steamer
5) Garbage bags for proper disposal of trash
6) Large can of Sodium Hypochlorite or a disinfectant like Lizol, and hand sanitisers
7) Mobile charger, cable, power bank, laptop
8) Cash, credit card, cheque book, banking details, etc. for payments at the hospital
9) Bag: Comfortable clothes for the duration of stay.

Discharge protocol after home isolation

Patients under home isolation will stand discharged (released from home isolation/ home care) after 10 days of symptom onset (or date of sampling, for asymptomatic cases) and no fever for three days. Thereafter, the patient is advised to isolate at home and self-monitor their health for a further seven days. 

They shall be released if the following criteria are met: . 

  1. No symptoms
  2. No fever (recorded body temperature < 37.5 deg C or <99.5 deg F )
  3. Maintains oxygen saturation above 95% 
  4. Respiratory rate less than 24 per minute

There is no need for any COVID-19 test (RT-PCR/CBNAAT/True-NAT/Rap|d Antigen test) after the period of home isolation/home care is over. The person is allowed to resume work only after satisfactory completion of home isolation/ home care.

A fitness certificate would be issued by the concerned area medical officer (PHC/UPHC/CHC/GH )/ treating physician/ family doctor. Alternatively, an e-certificate may be issued in the prescribed format by the tele-monitoring team.

Emergency Contacts

BBMP Covid Helpline Number: 1912

For queries and advice, call Apthamitra: 14410

Emergency cases, ambulance, hospital transfers: 108

State War Room: Corona Positive / Test Information

BBMP portal: Covid+ Hospital Bed Management Status-CHBMS

BBMP Zonal Helpline numbers

East Zone7411038024 / 9886496295
West Zone080-68248454
South Zone8431816718
Mahadevapura Zone080-23010101 / 080-23010102
Bommanahalli Zone8884666670
Yelahanka Zone9480685964
R.R. Nagar Zone080-28601050
Dasarahalli Zone080-29590057 / 080-29635904 / 080-29635906

Strict adherence of COVID appropriate behavior such as wearing a mask, hand sanitisation and social distancing, is a must. Besides these, vaccination is the key.

Also Read:

Comments:

  1. Sushmita B says:

    Thanks. Very useful information. You could also add Bangalore Covid helpline number 080-47190606. Very responsive.

  2. prem mohan k says:

    very explanative danyavadamulu

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

Under the scorching sun: Heat stress takes a toll on healthcare workers in Chennai

Despite experiencing heat-related health issues and high workloads, nurses in Chennai receive no support to brave extreme heat conditions.

On March 3rd, Primary Health Centres (PHC) in Chennai conducted the annual Pulse Polio Immunization campaign for children between the age group of 0-5 years. To ensure no child is missed, the Urban Health Nurses (UHN) made door-to-door visits on March 4 to administer polio drops.  While the initiative garnered praise from all quarters, the tireless efforts of health nurses who walked kilometres under the scorching sun, went unnoticed. On March 4, at 2.30 pm, Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam weather stations in Chennai recorded the maximum temperature of 32.2 degrees C and 31.4 degrees C. However, as the humidity levels were…

Similar Story

Delayed upgradation of hospitals in Mumbai’s suburbs; patients rely on private care

Despite having allocated funds to upgrade suburban civic hospitals, BMC has not been able to redevelop them on time.

When Sangeeta Kharat noticed a lump near her neck, she sought treatment at MT Agarwal Municipal Hospital, Mulund, near her residence. Doctors diagnosed her with thyroid nodules, an abnormal growth of cells on the thyroid gland, and referred her to Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Corporation Hospital at Sion for further treatment. Sangeeta's son, Rajan, initially opted for treatment at Sion Hospital. However, due to the distance and frequency of trips with his job, they decided to switch to a nearby private hospital despite higher costs. Rajan said, " If the MT Agarwal super-speciality hospital had been available, we wouldn't have needed…