Delhi Government issues fresh orders on home-isolation and institutional quarantine for COVID patients

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, in its effort to control the spread of coronavirus, has issued fresh guidelines on home-isolation and institutional quarantine for COVID-19 infected patients. In its new order, the Delhi government says that individuals who test positive will be referred to COVID-Care centers for assessment of clinical conditions, the severity of illness, and the treatment for recovery.

The order also says that if the patient has got sufficient quarantine facilities at home and the patient is found to have no co-morbidities and does not require hospitalization, he or she can choose from staying at the COVID Care center or opt for home isolation.

“Individuals who are positive will be referred to COVID care centers for assessment of clinical conditions, the severity of illness, and co-morbidities. Physical assessment to be done for adequate facilities for home isolation so that cluster of cases doesn’t develop in the locality,” said the Delhi government.

The order has come a day after Delhi’s Lt Governor Anil Baijal had to withdraw its order of 5-day mandatory institutional quarantine. On Saturday, June 20, rolled back its order amid a strong protest from the Delhi government.

Delhi government is taking many decisions to strengthen its fight against coronavirus. However, it seems Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government is failing on every front. And it is out of frustration that the government is taking such actions. Yesterday, it canceled the leave of all medical staff including doctors and nurses.

Only a month ago, Arvind Kejriwal used to announce its advance preparations to defeat coronavirus. When the number of cases in Delhi had reached the 6,000 mark, Arvind Kejriwal had announced that the state is ready to treat more than 30,000 patients. Later, when the cases started rising rapidly and crossed 20,000 tallies, the government put a restriction on the treatment of outsiders. This meant that patients who didn’t belong to Delhi, wouldn’t get treatment in Delhi. Lt Governor had to come in between and defy this discriminatory decision. Kejriwal’s deputy Manish Sisodia came out in full criticism against the Lt Governor Anil Baijal and quoted figures from a private research study that by the end of July the cases in Delhi would cross 5 lakh mark and if that happens, there will not be any bed to treat the residents of Delhi.

The central government is trying hard to establish coordination with the state government and fight the war against COVID-19 together.  It for the time now to tell how the efforts perform on the ground.