Not everyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should be taken to isolation centre —NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said not all who test positive for COVID-19 should be take to isolation centre.

The NCDC, however, ruled out elderly patients and those with severe COVID-19 symptoms from home care.

In a document titled:

“Interim guidelines for home care of confirmed COVID-19 cases” released on Saturday, the agency said patients who lacked adequate home accommodation should also not be considered for home care.

However, it stressed that not all who tested positive for COVID-19 could be treated outside the isolation centres.

The document read:

READ ALSO: Why we can’t force COVID-19 patients to go to hospital —NCDC

“Those not recommended (for home care) include: any age with severe symptoms; lack of adequate self-isolation facilities e.g. inadequate home accommodation; elderly patients; patients with two or more co-morbidities and any ‘high risk’ patient based on a clinical risk assessment done by a qualified clinician.”

According to NCDC, patients recommended for home care with “mild caution” are those below 50 years and clinically stable with no history of non-communicable disease and asymptomatic patients with mild symptoms.

“Such patients must ensure normal oxygen saturation (SpO2 ≥ 95% on room air) as well as available space for optimal self-isolation.

“Those recommended for home care with “moderate caution” are patients who are over 50 – 70 years and are clinically stable with no history of any co-comorbidity,” it added.

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