Covid-19: UP allows home quarantine for contacts but conditions apply

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government relaxed rules for mandatory quarantine for select category of people here on Saturday.


“Contacts of Covid-19 patients can stay home quarantined instead of being isolated at a facility if they have a big house which has a separate room with toilet for the patient,” Prasad said

The order clearly described that first line contacts of Covid-19 patients could avail the facility. But the contact should not be a care giver of any other suspected patient. The order is also valid for health staff including medical officers, nurses, para medical staff and support staff.

Besides the facility of a separate toilet, the list of necessary preconditions include: there should be no elderly, unwell child, pregnant woman or person suffering with serious illness such as cancer in their homes (high risk group persons).

They should agree to download and keep the Aarogya setu app on all the time and also allow health officials to flag their homes. The order has also listed dos and don’ts for patients and their family members in detail.

It also includes a description on cleanliness protocol such as cleaning the home and room with 1% hypoclorite solution and spraying bleaching power in the bathroom of the patient. It also directs them to clean the clothes of the patient in warm water with washing power and dry them separately.

Copies of the order have been sent to DMs and CMOs of all districts. Officials informed that the move was taken after a large number of suspected patients testing negative.

“The case positivity rate in UP is around 2.5% and keeping suspected patients for long in hospital setting also means putting them in a situation where they may contract other infections. So if their health and facilities can permit, the contacts would be allowed to stay at home,” said a senior officer.