The Karnataka government has issued a circular urging home isolation for all health workers, including nurses, paramedics and doctors who test positive for coronavirus but are asymptomatic. The rising COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru could mean that health workers are vulnerable to contracting the disease while treating patients.
According to procedure, all asymptomatic patients are treated in a COVID Care Centre. Now, this excludes health workers, according to the circular which was issued on Friday evening.
According to the circular passed by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary the Karnataka government, “These health workers are well aware of the isolation procedure and are in a position to monitor their health during isolation.”
According to the Health Department, the majority of the health workers who tested positive for coronavirus are asymptomatic.
The COVID-positive doctors, nurses and paramedics will be given pulse oximeters to keep track of their oxygen level. They will also be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) which these health workers will be expected to use during their home isolation, the circular said.
Those who are under home isolation after testing positive for coronavirus need to report to their health supervisor every day. On the completion of seven days of home isolation, if the patient remains asymptomatic, a swab test will be taken.
If the health worker remains asymptomatic and tests coronavirus negative after a week of home isolation, then they will be allowed to step out of home isolation.
Karnataka has so far reported 11,005 cases of coronavirus in the state, as of Friday, June 26. Out of this, 6,916 cases are active in the state. The capital city Bengaluru has 1,327 active cases in the city, with 1,935 cases of coronavirus reported in Bengaluru so far.