As the number of confirmed cases in Bacolod and Negros Occidental continues to rise, the option to be quarantined at home is increasingly becoming an option.
World-renowned vaccinologist and SARS-CoV-2 expert Dr. Melvin Sanicas, in his social media post, admits that caring for an infected person in the home, rather than in a medical or specialized facility, increases the risk of transmitting the virus to others in the home.
However, there are ways to prevent infection in the home as well as provide home care for anybody who are either confirmed or suspected with the virus:
Limit the patient’s movement around the house and minimize shared space. Ensure that shared spaces like the kitchen, bathroom are well ventilated; household members should avoid entering the room where the patient is located or, if that is not possible, maintain a distance of at least one meter from the patient (e.g. sleep in a separate bed);
limit the number of caregivers (ideally, someone who is in good health and has no underlying chronic conditions;
ban visitors isitors until the patient has completely recovered, shows no signs or symptoms of COVID-19, and has been released from isolation,
observe hand hygiene before and after preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet, and whenever hands look dirty. If hands are not visibly soiled, an alcohol-based hand rub can be used. For visibly soiled hands, use soap and water,
wearing of medical mask by patient which should be changed daily, when west, or when dirty from secretions;
wearing of medical mask by caregivers which should cover their mouth and nose when they are in the same room as the patient; masks should not be touched or handled during use;
clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched in the room where the patient is being cared for, such as bedside tables, bed frames, and other bedroom furniture at least once daily;
clean and disinfect bathroom and toilet surfaces at least once daily; regular household soap or detergent should be used first for cleaning, and then, after rinsing, regular household disinfectant containing 0.1% sodium hypochlorite (i.e. equivalent to 1000 ppm) should be applied by wiping surfaces;
clean the patient’s clothes, bed linen, and bath and hand towels using regular laundry soap and water, or machine wash at 60 – 90°C (140 – 194 °F) with common household detergent, and dry thoroughly;
pack waste generated at home in strong bags and which should be closed completely before disposal and eventual collection by waste services; otherwise waste may be buried. Burning is the least preferred option, as it is bad for human health and the environment.
