Delhi: COVID-19 patients don't need to visit government centers
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday reversed an order mandating clinical assessment of COVID-positive patients at state-run care centers. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who is also the chairperson of the DDMA, announced the order's reversal on Twitter. Earlier, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had opposed the order, arguing that it would add pressure on the health system. Here are more details.
Decision to reverse order taken at DDMA meeting
The decision to reverse the June 20 order was taken at a meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). The meeting was chaired by Baijal, while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the vice-chair. According to the new order, mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in Delhi will not have to line up at COVID Care Centers (CCC) for their clinical assessment.
Patients will be shifted to CCCs on certain conditions
Baijal tweeted, "Only those COVID positive cases who do not have adequate facilities at home to ensure physical segregation and do not have other medical conditions would require to be shifted to COVID Care centers and other facilities." The SDMA approved to modify Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for COVID-19 patients to limit the viral spread and ensure timely care for positive cases, Baijal said.
You can view the tweet here
Delhi government had vehemently opposed the earlier order
The Delhi government had been pushing for the revocation of the order. Kejriwal had on Wednesday said that sending people to quarantine facilities would be like a "15-day detention." Seeking the reversal of the order, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had said it's not about "Amit Shah model versus Arvind Kejriwal model," but about "ensuring minimum inconvenience to the public and also the administrative machinery."
What will be the new rules?
According to Hindustan Times, the L-G's office said that those who test positive for COVID-19 antigen by rapid tests will be examined by a Medical Officer on duty at the testing site to assess the severity of illness. The L-G's office said, "The assessment made by the Medical Officer on-site shall effectively constitute an assessment made at the COVID Care Center."
Separate room and toilet required for home isolation
If a person tests positive through RT-PCR tests, they will be allowed to isolate at home if they are found to be a mild/pre-symptomatic/asymptomatic case as per the assessment of a Home Isolation team sent by the District Surveillance Officer (DSO). Another condition for home isolation is that the patient must have a separate room and a separate toilet.
How bad is the outbreak in Delhi?
As of Wednesday, Delhi had reported a total of 70,390 cases. Delhi has now surpassed Mumbai in Maharashtra to become the worst-hit city in India. Delhi has also reported 2,365 deaths while 41,437 patients have recovered. The number of infections have surged in the past few weeks with daily new cases mainly remaining over 3,000 the past week.
