DOH: People with mild COVID-19 symptoms to be placed under home isolation

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) would allow people with mild COVID-19 symptoms to leave the hospital and undergo quarantine at home.

DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explained Sunday that six of the current 140 people infected with COVID-19 in the Philippines have already been allowed to return home, but they are still subject to isolation and strict monitoring from health officials in their respective residences.

“Ngayon sa pasok po ng datos, anim na po silang napagdesisyunan, based on assessment, that they can do home quarantine, be isolated, but be strictly monitored pa rin po dahil positibo sila,” Vergeire said in an interview with DZMM.

(Now, with the entry of data and based on assessment, six were allowed to do home quarantine, be isolated but be strictly monitored as they are positive for COVID-19.)

“Base po sa bagong decision tool namin ngayon, para po hindi mas mahawa ang mga taong may mga ganito lang namang sintomas, I mean they are not symptomatic, mild lang ang sintomas, ang desisyon po natin ngayon ay sa bahay na lang po muna sila at mag-isolate sila doon,” she added.

(Based on our new decision tool, to prevent people with mild symptoms, I mean they are not symptomatic, only mild symptoms, our decision is to let them go home and isolate there.)

According to Vergeire,  the measure was adopted to ensure that conditions of those with mild symptoms would not worsen and make treatment more complicated.

“Kasi po gusto po nating maiwasan pa ang further na ma-infect pa at saka mahawaan pa ang ating mga kaso ng ganito.  Kaya po dinesisyunan po natin and base rin naman po sa mga rekomendasyon ng ating mga eksperto,” she explained.

(Because we want to avoid further infection of cases with mild symptoms. That’s why we decided and also based on the recommendations of our experts.)

“Among these 140, karamihan po sa kanila mild ang symptoms.  Ito po ‘yong sinasabi nating may ubo kayo, may sore throat, meron po kayong sipon, nilalagnat po kayo.  ‘Yong severe symptoms po kasi nandyan na po ‘yong nahihirapan kayong huminga, hinihingal na po kayo, and of course ‘yong critical po ay ‘yong kailangan na po ng mga aparato para tulungan kayong huminga,” she added.

(Among these 140, most of them show mild symptoms.  This is what we classify as having a cough, sore throat, runny nose and colds, fever.  For severe symptoms, there’s difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, and of course, the critical one is those who already need equipment to help them breathe.)

On Sunday afternoon, DOH reported an additional 29 persons infected with COVID-19 in the country. This brought the total number so far to 140, including three more fatalities, which increased COVID-19’s death toll in the Philippines to 11.

DOH also noted that most of the fatalities had underlying health conditions prior to infection, prompting them to prioritize high-risk patients like the elderly, newborn babies and toddlers, and pregnant women.

DOH then assured health workers who would decide if a patient is fit for home quarantine are well-equipped.  Vergeire, on the other hand, pointed out that their new strategy was not meant to neglect patients, stressing it was a way to protect them from contracting further illnesses.

“Ang gusto lang ho natin maiayos natin na ang mga nasa ospital natin ay ‘yong mga severe and critical po (What we want is to fix the system, where only those experiencing severe and critical symptoms would be admitted to hospitals),” she added.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which outbreak started in China’s Wuhan City in Hube province in late 2019.

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic as it has infected more than 150,000 people and killed nearly 6,000 all over the world.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines and placed the entire Metro Manila under “community quarantine” from March 15 to April 14, 2020, due to COVID-19.

KGA