UP govt to allow home isolation to asymptomatic Covid-19 patients

Amid a chronic shortage of hospital beds, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to allow home isolation for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients under certain conditions. The guidelines for the home isolation are being prepared and will be announced soon.

It may be mentioned that there were reports about scarcity of beds in Covid special wards of hospitals in various parts of the state recently. On Monday while holding a meeting with a team of eleven senior officials, formed to check the pandemic, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that it had been brought to his notice that a large number of asymptomatic Covid patients have been concealing the fact that they have been infected, which could cause large-scale spread of the disease within the state. He said it has been decided to allow home isolation to such patients but they and their families will have to follow protocol. He, however, asserted that there are sufficient beds available in Covid hospitals.

The number of Covid patients in UP has been on the rise ever since the state government increased testing. In the state capital, 392 cases were reported on Sunday and four police stations have been declared containment zones.

The chief minister on Monday said that a special drive should be launched across the state to make people aware about the infection. He said door-to-door surveys have been started to identify Covid cases, adding that those suspected to have been infected should undergo rapid antigen tests. He asked district officials to hold regular meetings with office-bearers of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and nursing home-owners. Taking note of the rising number of cases, Aditynath directed the health department to send special teams in Lucknow, Kanpur, Basti, Prayagraj, Balia, Jhansi, Moradabad and Varanasi districts.