Home Care for COVID-19

Due to the high level of spread for COVID-19, the patient should have his or her own area at home.

Ideally, it should be an area for the patient where he/she can stay, as well as a bathroom just for the patient that isn’t shared with the rest of the household.

If this isn’t possible, there will need to be a rigorous cleaning and disinfecting regime. Patients should sleep in separate beds if it’s necessary. If the bathroom is shared, it is essential to close the bathroom lid after using the toilet to stop the spread.

It is vital to limit home areas to the patient to stop the spread throughout the house. It is important to remember that the virus can stay alive for many hours on surfaces. If the patient visits common areas (living room, kitchen, patio), he or she should do this only with the primary caregiver. These areas should follow a straight cleaning and disinfectant regime and should also be well ventilated.

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There should be only one caregiver, if possible, this will limit how many people have direct contact with the infected person.

The suggestion is that the caregiver should be a person who is healthy and ideally under 50 years of age. A non-smoker who doesn’t have underlying conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart problems, or anything that suggests a weak immune system.

If the caregiver needs to have contact with the patient, it will be necessary to use a mouth cover, latex gloves, and eye protection gear. This is all to avoid having direct contact with the virus. After having contact with the patient, it is necessary to dispose of or wash the mouth cover and the rest of the gear.

The caregiver should establish an area before entering with the patient where the appropriate protections will be placed. When coming out of that area, all gear should be taken off, the caregiver will need to clean his/her hands and preferably change his or her clothes. 

Taking off the protective gear should have an order and an appropriate technique:

• Mouth cover. Take off without touching the front of the mouth cover and from the elastics. Either throw it away or wash. If you want to know how to properly use a mouth ver, click here
• Security Glasses. Take off in a tray with chlorine water or disinfectant.
• Latex gloves. Take off without having contact with the glove and throw them away.

*You should preferably follow these three steps and in between wash your hands or use a 70% alcohol-based disinfectant and follow the appropriate technique.

You should have a specific garbage bag to dispose of the articles as well as a tray with chlorine for eye gear. Dirty laundry should be put all in one container and washed as soon as possible.

The caregvideoiver should avoid touching their face at all times, as well as washing their hands regularly.

Here is a video that explains how you can dress and undress safely and use all the appropriate gear: 

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• Mouth cover (all mouth covers have different shelf-life.
• Eye protective gear. It can be a mask or glasses.
• Latex Gloves (are not reusable)
• Rubber gloves for cleaning
• Disposable paper towels
• Disposable handkerchiefs
• Garbage can
• Plastic bags (preferably with drawstrings for closure or color red)
• Thermometer
• Drinking water
• Regular hand soap
• Regular dishwasher soap
• Regular soap for laundry
• Antibacterial gel with at least 70% alcohol.
• Comercial chlorine for home use
• Regular cleaning products
• Atomizer (make a mix of 5ml of chlorine per 1 ltr of water for a chlorine solution

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• Clean your house regularly and clean areas where the patient has been. This cleaning should be done with a chlorine-based cleaner.

Hand washing for the caregiver is essential. It should be followed with the appropriate technique and in the following cases:

• Before and after having contact with the patient and patient areas.
• Before and after making meals.
• After cleaning.
• After using the washroom.
• Before touching your face.

Daily clean and disinfect every surface that has been in frequent contact by the patient or the room designated for the patient. Clean cell phones, doorknobs, remote controls, dressers, headboards, tables, and any other type of furniture. Use the atomizer with chlorine solution for this.

Bathroom cleaning should be done at least once a day. First, you should clean with a soapy solution, wash and then clean with a chlorine solution.

The patient's clothes, including personal clothing, towels, and linens, should be washed with regular soap at 60-90° C (140-194° F). Dry clothes in the sun, preferably.

Always clean using gloves and protective clothing, such as plastic aprons. You can use reusable gloves as long as they are cleaned with a chlorine solution.

All garbage generated from cleaning or that has been in contact with the patient should be disposed of correctly. Place it in a red garbage bag if possible or seal it well. When disposing of the garbage, inform the appropriate authorities.

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Patients who are under quarantine at home are patients whose symptoms are moderate, such as the following:

• A 38° C fever or higher
• Fatigue
• Cough (It can be dry or with phlegm-)
• Lack of hunger
• General malaise
• Muscle aches
• Throat pain
• Nasal congestion
• Headache
• Diarrhea (in some cases)
• Nausea (in some cases)
• Vomit (in some cases)

It is essential to maintain close monitoring of patient symptoms. If those symptoms worsen, then the patient needs to get to a hospital as soon as possible. The main complication is difficulty breathing. If the patient feels like he or she cannot breathe, it is necessary to go to a hospital.

If a fever reaches 38° C for more than 48 hours with the proper care by physicians, it will also be necessary to visit the hospital.

Authorities should be informed of the patients' symptoms for knowledge and management.

For patient discharge from home, it is necessary to perform a CRP test with negative results after 2 tests have been taken with a difference of 24 hours.

When a CRP test isn’t available, the WHO recommends that all patients should remain in quarantine for at least 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms.

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If the previous measures are followed correctly, then spread to the caregiver should not happen. However, caregivers need to monitor their symptoms during this time and 14 days after the last contact with the patient.

Every other household member should also monitor their symptoms.

If the caregiver or any other person has positive symptoms with COVID-19 the following actions should be done:

• Notify the corresponding authority.
• Notify Costamed Hospital about the possible COVID-19 patient transfer and ask for a CRP test.
• Transfer the patient responsibly to the hospital, using a mouth cover, latex gloves, avoid public transportation, and use a private vehicle. If possible, travel with the windows down for proper ventilation.
• Maintain a 1-meter distance from the people surrounding you. 
• When arriving at the hospital, make your way to our Respiratory Health Care Unit.

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• For hand washing, it is recommended that you should dry your hands with disposable paper towels. If you do not have any, wash the drying cloth after every use.
• Assign a special set of dishes for the patient. Wash these dishes right after using them.
• In the case of mothers that are breastfeeding, there have been exceptions to distancing yourself from the baby. Considering the benefits of breast milk, respiratory viruses do not travel through it. Nevertheless, the mother should use a mouth cover when handling the baby and washing your hands before and after having close contact. Breastfeeding mothers should follow all the necessary guidelines of this document.

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Orientaciones para el público

Español

https://www.who.int/es/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

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