‘Centre’s new protocol will free up more beds’
With the Centre’s new guidelines for testing and discharge of Covid-19 patients being implemented, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) expects to free up more beds at quarantine centres and hospitals. This will also help ration testing kits and reduce the amount of time needed for test results after a swab is collected.
The Centre on Friday revised pre-discharge testing rules for Covid-19 patients, eliminating the need for a double negative test result (two consecutive test results show negative for a patient). According to these guidelines, patients showing mild to moderate symptoms no longer need to be tested before they are discharged from the hospital, and patients showing severe symptoms need to record only one negative test result.
Patients are discharged provided they show no fever for three consecutive days and oxygen saturation above 94% for four days. In the case of patients with severe symptoms, and those with co-morbidities, they will not be discharged until complete resolution of symptoms and clinical recovery.
Daksha Shah, deputy health officer with BMC, said, “A per the task force recommendations, BMC has already begun discharging asymptomatic patients and those showing mild symptoms on the results of one test being negative before discharge. This has helped considerably in patient-bed management.” As per the guidelines, once released, patients are required to go through mandatory isolation at home, and follow up via phone health check-ups.
“We may be able to free up beds three to four days earlier. It is reducing the stress on testing capacity. With reduced testing burden, results of those who need it are coming sooner,” said a senior civic official. Presently, it takes anywhere between 12 and 24 hours for a test result to arrive after a swab is given.
Despite experts having mixed reactions to the new development, BMC believes it will reduce the burden on Covid care centres and hospitals, and will be most useful when cases peak in Mumbai and demand for beds increases.
“There is a scientific rationale to this decision. It is not meant for reducing the load. That is only a collateral benefit. Whatever symptoms are to be developed, in more than 70% of the patients, they develop on the sixth or seventh day. As per those guidelines, if on the seventh, eighth, or ninth day no symptoms develop, then on the 10th day, the patient can be discharged without testing,” said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner in charge of the health department.
However, Rajendra Dhage, a city-based health activist, said, “There is no proof that asymptomatic persons do not spread the virus. Without testing, if you let people go out, there is going to be a problem.”
Sanjay Pattiwar, another public health expert, said, “There is a small issue as some patients may be positive even after 14 days, but the government is not testing them before discharge. However, they have been asked to quarantine at home, so the responsibility will be taken by the patient. In turn, the load on beds is reduced and tests are rationed.”