Self-Isolation In The Time of COVID-19

If you are experiencing mild flu-like symptoms in India, it is highly unlikely that you will be allowed to take a test to confirm or rule out a COVID-19 infection. The next best thing you can do is self-isolate. Here is the World Health Organization’s guidance on how to get self-isolation right.

- Stay in a well-ventilated single room (i.e. with open windows and an open door)

- Limit your movement in the house and minimize shared space. Ensure that shared spaces (e.g. kitchens, bathrooms) are well ventilated (keep windows open)

- Household members should stay in a different room or, if that is not possible, maintain a distance of at least 1 metre from the ill person (e.g. sleep in a separate bed)

- Hand hygiene should be performed before and after preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet, and whenever hands look dirty.

- When washing hands with soap and water, it is preferable to use disposable paper towels to dry hands.

- If handkerchiefs are used, wash them using regular soap or detergent and water

- A mother could can continue breastfeeding. The mother should wear a medical mask when she is near her baby and perform hand hygiene before and after having close contact with the baby

- Do not reuse masks or gloves

- Use dedicated linen and eating utensils for the patient; these items should be cleaned with soap and water after use and may be re-used instead of being discarded

- Daily clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched in the room where the patient is being cared for, such as bedside tables, bedframes, and other bedroom furniture

- Clean and disinfect bathroom and toilet surfaces at least once daily

- Clean your 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

- Household members should avoid other types of exposure to contaminated items from your immediate environment (e.g. do not share toothbrushes, cigarettes, eating utensils, dishes, drinks, towels, washcloths, or bed linen)

- Since you will most likely be unable to test that you are COVID-19 negative, you should remain isolated for an additional two weeks after symptoms resolve

The available research on COVID-19 shows that unless you are an elderly person with serious underlying medical conditions, it is unlikely that you will experience severe SARS-Cov-2 (yes, that is the official name for the version of the coronavirus doing the rounds). So, if you are feeling under the weather and suspect that you may have contracted COVID-19, pick up a good book and relax at home. But please self-isolate and do not pass it forward!