Guideline for Home Isolation Who Should Do It and How to Prepare Your Home

People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are caring for someone with COVID-19 at home must follow a series of guidelines to minimize community transmission. The patient must be isolated in a separate room with adequate ventilation. If this is not possible, household members should stay away from the patient as much as possible. The patient must sleep in a separate room, use separate household items, and must wear a surgical mask when moving around the house. In the case of shared rooms or houses with only one room, the sick person should not share the couch or mattress with other people in the home.

Home isolation is recommended for people who are suspected or confirmed to have novel coronavirus COVID-19.

Home isolation is intended to separate anyone with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) The medical recommendation is to stay at home until at least 14 days, or longer, if symptoms remain. The goal is to prevent transmission to others and ensure that the healthcare system is not overburdened.

Who must do home isolation?

Check out some measures for isolating and caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at home.

Isolate the patient

Place the patient in a well-ventilated single room;

Household members should stay in a different room or, if that is not possible, maintain a distance of at least two meters from the ill person and sleep in a separate bed or mattress (exception – breastfeeding mothers are advised to continue breastfeeding, by wearing a mask and practicing good hygiene, including frequent hand washing);

Limit the movement of the patient in the house. Ensure that shared spaces are well ventilated;

Wear a medical facemask whenever someone is in the same room as the patient. Replace the mask immediately if it gets wet from secretions or damaged;

Other household members should use a separate bathroom. If this is not possible, the bathroom must be disinfected after use.

Perform hand hygiene frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer, especially before preparing food, before eating, and after using the toilet.

Do not allow visitors into your home, and avoid leaving the house unless you need to seek medical care. In this case, wear a surgical mask while you are out and avoid crowds;

Whenever possible, use the phone to communicate with other people, including those living in the same house

Precautions for caregivers

Caregivers should wear a mask when in the same room as the patient. If the mask gets wet or dirty from secretions, it must be replaced immediately. Masks should not be touched or handled near the patient. After removing the mask, caregivers must wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water;

Perform hand hygiene before and after any type of contact with the patient, using the toilet, preparing food, and whenever needed;

Where possible, those at high risk of severe illness with COVID-19 should not be assigned to care for someone ill.

Use a separate bathroom, if available;

Caregivers are advised to be in quarantine for 14 days after their patient has recovered.

General Precautions

All household members must cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, either with their hands, arms, or face masks. After sneezing, wash your hands immediately with water and soap;

Avoid direct contact with the patient’s secretions; wear disposable gloves when disposing contaminated items. If you do not have gloves, do not touch your face during the procedure and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately afterwards;

When washing hands with soap and water, it is preferable to use disposable paper towels to dry hands. If these are not available, use cloth towels and replace them if damp;

Clean high touch surfaces frequently (more than once a day) with a bleach solution (1% bleach and 99% water); do the same for bathrooms;

Wash the patient’s clothes, bed linen, and bath and hand towels using regular laundry soap and water at 60–90°C.

Eat in separate places. If possible, the ill person should eat in their own room.

Separate everyday items such as toothpaste, soap, and towel.

Disinfect the bathroom right after it is used by the patient, specially sink, doorknob, toilet flush, and light switch.

Remember to flush with the lid down to reduce spread of particles in the air.

Preparing Your Home

(if sharing a bathroom with an ill person) In the Bathroom

Place brushes alone in individual holders.

Preparing Your Home

In the Bedroom

Keep a trash can covered with a plastic bag near the patient's bed. The patient should remove the garbage bag. Otherwise, use disposable gloves when handling it yourself.

If possible, the patient should make their own bed and put the bed linen inside a plastic bag before taking it to the washing machine or the tank.

It must be well ventilated. Keep the windows open and leave a fan on to increase fresh air circulation.

Keep the door closed.

Do not share cutlery, glasses, or plates.

Wash your hands before and after cooking.

If possible, wash dishes and utensils using disposable gloves and hot water.

Avoid cooking for other people if you are ill. If not possible, wear a mask while cooking and wash your hands frequently when handling food, which must be well cooked.

Preparing Your Home

In the Kitchen

Shared furniture and objects must be cleaned several times a day. Wear mask, gloves, and aprons and goggles, if possible, while cleaning the house.

Ensure adequate ventilation.

Do not share the couch.

Always wear the mask.

Stay away from the ill person

Preparing Your Home

In the Living Room or Common Areas

Only stay in the same room with an infected person when strictly necessary, given the increased risk of transmission.

!

!

Both the caregiver, the patient and all members of the household should monitor the temperature and symptoms of COVID-19 daily. Take your temperature twice a day (morning and night). Disinfect the entire thermometer with alcohol after use. If you are taking fever-reducing medicines, wait four hours before checking your temperature. Write down the temperature and the time you took it. If you have difficulty breathing or your symptoms are getting worse, contact your doctor or the local medical service immediately.

! Please, note!

Sources:

US Center for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC)

Ministry of Health of Brazil