When COVID 19 Hits Home

By Aris Metin

This pandemic is far from over. Vaccines are still being rolled out all over the world. The virus is evolving and variants are sprouting. Experts say this global problem will not go away for the next two to five years.

When we look at the rising cases on the news or see the statistics on social media — the pandemic seems so surreal. But what do we do when COVID 19 hits home? Are we psychologically, financially, physically, spiritually and emotionally prepared ? What courses of action do we resort to and are we doing them right?

Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, MD Professor and Chief of the Division of Infectious Tropical Diseases in Pediatrics College of Medicine — Philippine General Hospital University of the Philippines Manila provided answers to these questions during John Clements Consultants free online webinar on “What To Do When COVID 19 Hits Home” held last 14 April.

Dr. Ong-Lim also serves as a member of the Department of Health (DOH) Technical Advisory Group, the Inter-Agency Taskforce (IATF) Technical Working Group on COVID 19 variants as well as the interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group for COVID 19 vaccines.

Dr. Ong-Lim presented the World Health Organization (WHO)’s interim guidance on actions to be taken when there is a suspected patient or virus carrier at home.

Accordingly, home care may be undertaken when:

1. Inpatient care is unavailable or unsafe
2. When capacity is insufficient to meet the demand for health-care services
3. When a patient has been discharged from hospitals

The main objective is to avoid the risk of virus transmission with other members of the family and the neighborhood.

When COVID 19 Hits Home: Decision Factors

The decision as to whether to isolate and care for an infected person at home or not depends on the following three factors:

1. Clinical evaluation of the COVID 19 patient. Does the person qualify for home care?
2. Evaluation of the home setting. Is the home set up appropriate?
3. The ability to monitor the clinical evaluation of the person with COVID 19 at home. Can the caregivers assess the patient adequately?

A home-based care arrangement is acceptable and allowable when all of the above conditions are satisfactorily met.

Clinical Evaluation of COVID 19 Patient

Patients who are asymptomatic or those with mild or moderate disease without risks for poor outcome may not require emergency intervention or hospitalization could be possible for home isolation and care provided the following requirements are fulfilled in the home setting:

1. In-patient care implementation conditions cited as above exist
2. There is close monitoring for any signs or symptoms of deterioration by a trained healthcare worker

The Home Care Kit

Dr. Ong-Lim presented the essentials needed to comprise the Home Care Kit in the following presentation:

A medical mask should be provided and worn by the patient at all times and with frequent changing whenever there are wet or dry secretions. All members of the household should wear medical masks. Materials used to cover the mouth and nose should be disposed or cleansed appropriately after use.

Caregivers should also wear protective personal equipment (PPE), medical masks and observe proper sterilization. Masks should not be touched or handled during use.

Avoid direct contact with the patient’s body fluids, specifically oral or nasal discharges.

Use disposable gloves and masks when providing oral or respiratory care, and when handling bodily wastes.

Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched and used by the patient.

The Home Setup

Caregivers, household members and individuals with probable or confirmed COVID 19 should receive support from trained healthcare workers as well as observe the following recommendations from the WHO:

• Limit the patient’s movement around the house and limit shared space.
• Household members should avoid entering the patient’s room and limit distance to at least 1 meter from the patient. The patient should have a separate bed.
• Limit the number of caregivers assigned to the patient, if possible, assign only one caregiver who is healthy and has no underlying chronic illness.

• No visitors allowed.
• Follow strict hand sanitization at all times.
• Use dedicated linen and utensils for the patient. These should be cleaned with soap and water and can be reused.
• Place contaminated linen in laundry bags and avoid contact with skin and clothes.
• Single use hand gloves should be discarded and never reused.
• Waste generated at home while caring for a COVID 19 patient should be packed in strong bags and preferably disposed by the municipal waste management service provider. Burning is least preferred as it is bad for human health and the environment.
• Avoid any other type of exposure from contaminated items from the patient’s immediate environment i.e. cigarettes, toothbrushes, wash clothes, cutlery.

The Current Situation

As of 02 May 2021 in the Philippines, there has been 1,054,983 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 17,431 deaths reported to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Philippines has administered at least 1,941,196 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Assuming every person needs 2 doses, the country has vaccinated about 0.9% of its population.

from Nikkei Asia

The light at the end of the tunnel is still distant and flickering. But when COVID 19 hits home, the light emanating from the love of family burns longer and brighter. Families find strength from each other during a crisis and from this strength, no virus can bring down a home.

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About the Author:

Aris Metin is a Group Managing Consultant at EDI-Staffbuilders International. Aris manages a profit center, directs EDI’s Social Media and Website team, develops and trains Millennials and Gen Zeds to become future managers; the designated in-house journalist, and a prayer warrior.