Guidelines to contain Covid-19 in Delhi

Recently, the DDMA reviewed the Covid-19 situation held on January 10, 2022. Some additional restrictions have been imposed in Delhi to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including the highly contagious and transmissible Omicron variant. With cases on the rise, it becomes important to be aware of the guidelines and floor them.

Information relative of Covid Protocol

1. All Private Offices shall be closed, except those which are falling under the ·Exempted Category• as prescribed in DDMA's GRAPOrder No. 460 dated 08.08.2021. The practice of work from home shall be followed.
2. All Restaurants & Bars shall be closed. However, restaurants will be allowed only for home delivery and takeaway of food items.
3. All Offices of GNCT of Delhi/Autonomous Bodies/Corporations shall remain closed except those involved in essential and emergency services such as Health and Family Welfare and all related medical establishments, Police, Prisons, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, District Administration, Pay & Account Office, Services, GAD, Electricity, Water and Sanitation, Public Transport (Air/Railways/Delhi Metro/Buses) including all incidental services/activities that are essential for smooth functioning of all modes of public transport ( such as handling of cargo, ticketing, air freight station, CFS, ICD etc.), Disaster Management and related services, NIC, NCC and Municipal services, DCPCR, CCls, Child-Line Helpline, ewes, Department of Women & Child Development, and all other essential services. However all officers/officials shall work from home. All Heads of the Department of GNCTD shall attend their offices and may also call their relevant officers/officials in office as per the requirement with regard to
4. delivery of essential services I activities as well as COVID-1g related works. The uninterrupted delivery of public services shall be ensured by the concerned departments/agencies.
5. There shall be "Weekend Curfew" on the movement of individuals in NCT of Delhi from 10 PM on Friday till 5 AM on subsequent Monday. Following categories of Individuals are, however; exempted from the restriction on movement

Disposable Collection of Covid Related waste in community South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) mayor Mukesh Suryan has announced helpline numbers for collecting biomedical waste from the
houses of covid 19 patients. Helpline numbers released for all four zones are – 01140988800 (South Zone), 01149506548 (West Zone), 7290041009 (Central Zone) and 8010863863 (Nazafgarh Zone).

South Delhi Municipal Corporation has arranged five vehicles in each of its four zones to assist people under home quarantine in safely disposing of the covid waste.

In each zone of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, one vehicle and with sanitisation worker and a helper has been deployed to collect the waste.

In east Delhi, 16 teams of two workers alloted with 1 vehicle have been assigned to collect biomedical waste from door to door.

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Generic preventive measures

1. The physical distancing of at least 5 feet is to be followed as far as feasible.
2. Use of face covers/masks to be made mandatory
3. Practice frequent hand washing with soap (for at least 40-60 seconds) even when hands are not visibly dirty.
4. Use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers (for at least 20 seconds) can be made wherever feasible.
5. Respiratory etiquettes are to be strictly followed. This involves the strict practice of covering one's mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed elbow and disposing of used tissues properly.
6. Self-monitoring of health by all and reporting any illness at the earliest to state and district helpline.
7. Spitting shall be strictly prohibited.
8. Installation & use of the AarogyaSetu App shall be advised to all.

Guidelines for home quarantine.

1. The home quarantined person should: Stay in a well-ventilated single-room preferably with an attached/separate toilet.
2. If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it's advisable to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter between the two.
3. The infected person has to stay away from elderly people, pregnant women, children and persons with co-morbidities within the household.
4. Restrict the infected person's movement within the house.
5. Under no circumstances attend any social/religious gathering e.g. weddings, condolences, etc.

Follow the under mentioned public health measures at all times: 

• Wash hands as often thoroughly with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
• Avoid sharing household items e.g. dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding, or other items with other people at home.
• Wear a surgical mask all the time.
• The mask should be changed every 6-8 hours and disposed of
• Disposable masks are never to be reused.
• Masks used by patients/caregivers/ close contacts during home care should be disinfected using ordinary bleach solution (5%) or sodium hypochlorite solution (1%) and then disposed of either by burning or deep burial.
• The used mask should be considered as potentially infected.
• If symptoms appear (cough/fever/difficulty in breathing), he/she should immediately inform the nearest health centre or call 011-23978046.
• Instructions for the family members of persons being home quarantined Only an assigned family member should be tasked with taking care of the infected person.
• Avoid shaking the soiled linen or direct contact with the skin.
• Use disposable gloves when cleaning the surfaces or handling soiled linen. Wash hands after removing gloves.
• Visitors should not be allowed.
• In case the person being quarantined becomes symptomatic, all his close contacts will be home quarantined (for 14 days) and followed up for an additional 14days or till the report of such case turns out negative on lab testing.

Environmental sanitisation

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the quarantined person's room (e.g. bed frames, tables etc.) daily with 1%Sodium Hypochlorite Solution.
• Clean and disinfect toilet surfaces daily with regular household bleach solution/phenolic disinfectants.
• Clean the clothes and other linen used by the person separately using common household detergent and dry.

Duration of home quarantine
The home quarantine period is for 14 days from contact with a confirmed case or earlier if a suspect case (of whom the index person is a contact) turns out negative on laboratory testing.

Do's and Dont's

• The revised guidelines issued by AIIMS, ICMR-COVID-19 National Task Force and Joint Monitoring Group (DGHS) under the Union health ministry are as follow:
• Upper respiratory tract symptoms without shortness of breath have been categorised as mild disease and have been advised home isolation and care.
• Those suffering from mild Covid should seek medical attention if they have difficulty in breathing, high-grade fever, or severe cough lasting for more than five days.
• Those who are experiencing breathlessness with SpO2 fluctuating between 90-93 per cent, can get admitted to award. For oxygen.
• SpO2 lower than 90 per cent on room air should be considered as a severe disease and such patients have to be admitted to an ICU for respiratory support.
• Injection methylprednisolone 0.5 to one mg/kg in two divided doses, or an equivalent dose of dexamethasone, can be given usually for a duration of five to 10 days in moderate cases.
• The same drug in two divided doses of one to two mg/kg can be given for the same duration in severe cases.
• If cough persists for more than two-three weeks, one should opt for investigation for tuberculosis and other conditions, they stated.