What do I do if I must remain isolated in my house?

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After the detection of a positive case of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospital admission is not always necessary. Experts point out that, in patients with mild symptoms that do not present complications and are stable , isolation in the patient's home may be indicated.

In these situations, says the Spanish Society of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Hygiene, it is necessary to comply with a series of recommendations :

• The patient should not present previous problems , such as chronic diseases (for example, diabetes or hypertension), alterations in the immune system, pregnancy, old age or pediatric age.
• There should be good ventilation at home, in which people with a weakened immune system, who have chronic diseases, are pregnant or have an advanced age should not remain.
• Avoid visits or receive the minimum possible
• If possible, stay in a room for individual use . If you need to access common areas, use a mask and do it after performing proper hand hygiene. The door must remain closed.
• Have a bucket with a pedal opening in the room to place used clothing . It should be washed at temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees. You should not shake your clothes or take the bag out of the room in unsealed bags
• The use of an individual bathroom is recommended. If this is not possible, it should be cleaned with bleach and disposable products.
• The feeding utensils (plates, glasses and cutlery) will be washed with hot water and soap . "If possible, it is preferable to use a dishwasher at high temperature to eliminate microorganisms," says a spokesman for the medical society
• The sick person should follow the recommended respiratory hygiene measures, covering their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with their elbows and using single-use tissues. You should always wash your hands afterwards.

According to the aforementioned spokesperson, family members who live with the affected person should have minimal contact with him . In addition to trying to stay in different rooms and maximize hygiene, it is important that family members also perform self-monitoring to be aware of any type of symptoms compatible with the infection.

In addition, frequently used surfaces, such as the bedside table, the bed base or the bathroom surfaces should be disinfected daily with a "household disinfectant containing bleach at a dilution of 1: 100" and prepared at the time it is going to use (using gloves and disposable products).

At any time when it is observed that the situation of the patient has worsened, the fact must be notified to the Public Health authorities, who will evaluate how to make the transfer to the hospital. In any case, says the specialist, an individual assessment of each case will be carried out.

What about the close contacts?

According to what is indicated in the document Procedure for action against cases of infection with the new coronavirus, from the Ministry of Health, in confirmed or probable cases, close contacts are necessary. This follow-up consists of active surveillance (they must be available at all times). In addition, they are advised to limit their social activities and non-essential travel. All of them receive advice to maximize respiratory hygiene and handwashing measures and be aware of the development of any symptoms. In case they appear, they must also be isolated, either at home or in the hospital.

And with casual contacts?

Although an active search of these people is not performed, if a casual contact is identified, the recommendation is to perform passive surveillance; that is, only the individual is recommended to be attentive to the occurrence of respiratory symptoms. "They can lead a normal life, as a family, with friends and, in general, in the workplace," says the Health document.

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