Only severe COVID-19 patients to be tested before discharge: Union health ministry
New Delhi: Coronavirus infected patients developing severe illness or having compromised immunity will have to test negative through RT-PCR test before being discharged by a hospital, the Union health ministry on Friday said in its revised discharge policy for COVID-19 cases.
Moderate cases of COVID-19 and pre-symptomatic, mild and very mild cases need not undergo tests before being discharged after resolution of symptoms.
According to the rules till now, a patient was considered fit to be discharged if he or she tested negative on day 14 and then again in a span of 24 hours.
"The revised discharge policy is aligned with the guidelines on the 3 tier COVID facilities and the categorisation of patients based on clinical severity," the ministry said.
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 1,981 and the number of cases climbed to 59,662 on Saturday, registering an increase of 95 deaths and 3,320 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry.
The discharge criteria for severe cases, including immunocompromised like HIV patients, transplant recipients, and those having malignancy will be based on clinical recovery and of patient tested negative once by RT-PCR (after resolution of symptoms), the revised policy stated.
Cases clinically classified as "moderate" will undergo monitoring of body temperature and oxygen saturation.
If fever resolves within three days and patient maintains saturation above 95 per cent for the next four days (without oxygen support), such a patient will be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset incase of absence of fever without antipyretics, resolution of breathlessness and no oxygen requirement
"There will be no need for testing prior to discharge," the ministry said. At the time of discharge, patient will be advised to follow home isolation for seven days as per the guidelines.
Patient on oxygenation also falling under moderate category, whose fever does not resolve within three days and demand of oxygen therapy continues, will be discharged only after resolution of clinical symptoms and when they are able to maintain oxygen saturation for three consecutive days.
Mild, very mild and pre-symptomatic cases admitted to a COVID care facility will undergo regular temperature and pulse oximetry monitoring.
"The patient can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for three days. There will be no need for testing prior to discharge," the revised discharge policy stated.
At the time of discharge, patient will be advised to follow home isolation for further seen days as per the prescribed guidelines.
At any point of time, prior to discharge from COVID Care Centre, if oxygen saturation dips below 95 per cent, patient will be moved to Dedicated COVID Health Centre.
After discharge from the facility, if he/she again develops symptoms of fever, cough or breathing difficulty he will contact the COVID Care Centre or state helpline or 1075.
His or her health will again be followed up through tele-conference on day 14, it said.
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Boy called ‘Fauji’ by APJ Abdul Kalam at age 3 becomes Lieutenant at 22
Dehradun: Nearly nineteen years ago, at a Passing Out Parade of the Indian Military Academy, then President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam held the hand of a three-year-old boy standing with his father and remarked, “Yeh fauji ka haath hai” (This is a soldier’s hand). On Saturday, at a similar parade, Dr. Kalam’s words came true in the most literal sense, as the same boy was commissioned as an officer in the Indian Army, drawing attention across the parade ground.
The inspiring story is that of Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh, who was commissioned into the Indian Army at the age of 22.
With Harmanmeet Singh’s commissioning, a long-standing family tradition of serving the Indian Army, dating back to the early years after Independence, continues. He has become the fourth generation from his family to don the olive green uniform.
Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh’s great-grandfather, late Subedar Pratap Singh, joined the Army in 1948. The legacy was carried forward by his grandfather, late Sepoy Daljeet Singh, his grand-uncle Major Bhagwant Singh, and Colonel Ujagar Singh.
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Born in Kanpur, Harmanmeet Singh trained as a cadet under the Technical Entry Scheme at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, where he won a silver medal. He has been commissioned into the 6 Maratha Light Infantry, the same regiment in which his father, Colonel Harmeet Singh, had earlier served as the Commanding Officer.
Colonel Harmeet Singh himself graduated from the Indian Military Academy on December 9, 2000, exactly 25 years before his son’s commissioning. He said the Army had always been an integral part of Harmanmeet’s world. Growing up, Harmanmeet admired his father in uniform and often wore outfits resembling Army uniforms and badges. “That was his favourite attire. Even at the age of three, while studying in kindergarten, he expressed his desire to become a Gentleman Cadet,” Colonel Harmeet Singh said with pride.
The moment marked not just a personal achievement for Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh, but also the fulfillment of a prophecy-like remark made years ago by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, now remembered as a symbol of inspiration and destiny fulfilled.
