Everything you need to know about home quarantine

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The National Health Commission of China released its first official guideline on home quarantine of COVID-19 positive cases.

The commission said despite the global pandemic being still rampant, the Omicron variants spreading in China have been weakened. Most infections have mild or no symptoms, and few will develop into severe conditions. Most infected people can choose self-quarantine and treatment at home.

The guideline aims to allow infections to take good care at home, while reducing the transmission risk among family members.

Tips: COVID-19 vaccination and scientific personal protection remain the most effective way to prevent COVID-19 infection.

National Health Commission of China

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1. For whom among the infected people is treatment at home suitable?

• Positive cases with mild or no clinical symptoms and without serious underlying diseases.
• Infections whose underlying diseases are stable and without severe heart, liver, lung, kidney, brain or other important organ insufficiency that require hospitalization.

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2. Q&As on home quarantine and treatment

Q: How to conduct health monitoring?

• Take a temperature check in the morning and evening every day, as well as monitor your health condition.
• Conduct antigen self-test and report the results according to COVID prevention and control rules.
• Citizens can purchase antigen testing kits themselves or request community health centers. Medical staff can offer remote guidance on testing and checking results.

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Q: How to deal with various symptoms?

• Positive cases with no symptom need no drug treatment.
• People with symptoms such as fever and cough can take medicines.
• People should follow the instructions on the medicines and avoid using antibiotics casually.
• People with underlying diseases should not change the doses of their regular medicines if their underlying diseases are in stable condition.
• People can consult medical staff at community health centers or through Internet hospitals.

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Q: When is a referral to hospital required?

Infected people who have the following conditions can be transferred to hospital by private cars and ambulances, etc.

• Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath.
• Fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius for more than 3 days after taking medicines.
• Worsening underlying disease conditions, which cannot be controlled.
• Children suffering from lethargy, persistent refusal to eat, difficult in feeding, persistent diarrhea or vomiting.
• Pregnant women showing symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, palpitation and shortness of breath, or abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding or discharge, and abnormal fetal movement.

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Q: Can infected people go out?

• Infected people should not go out unless it is necessary. No home visits should be accepted.
• People who need to go out for medical treatment must ensure personal protection, head to medical institutions and return home directly, and avoid taking public transport.

Q: How to reduce the risk of transmission at home?

During the home quarantine, protective measures should be taken to reduce the risk of infecting others at home.

• If condition allows, infected people should live in a separate room and use a separate bathroom. Prepare equipment such as thermometers (exclusively for infected people), tissues, masks, disposable gloves, disinfectants and covered trash cans.
• Avoid contacting other family members. Infected people who do not live alone should live and dine in the quarantined room that others cannot enter. Place a table or stool outside the room to transfer items without contact.
• When the infected people must leave the room or enter public space, they must wear surgical masks and keep a distance of at least one meter. Infected breastfeeding mothers can continue feeding the babies with full personal protection.
• Ventilate regularly by opening windows or using ventilation equipment. A room should be ventilated at least twice a day and at least half an hour each time. Turn off the return air for the central air conditioner and use full fresh air mode.
• Ventilate and disinfect the shared areas such as toilets and bathrooms. Cover the toilet lid before flushing. Exclusive toilet for the infected should be disinfected once every day. Shared toilet must be disinfected every time after using.
• Cover mouth and nose with tissues or elbow when coughing or sneezing. Put used tissues, masks, disposable gloves and other household waste into plastic bags and place them in special trash bins. Wash or disinfect hands immediately after touching respiratory secretions.
• Do not share towels, tableware, cups, toothpastes, tooth cups and other daily necessities with family members. Personal items, such as clothes, sheets, towels and other items belonging to the infected should be stored, washed and disinfected separately. Their exclusive tableware should be cleaned and sanitized separately. Items contaminated by saliva or sputum must be disinfected immediately.

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Q: How to maintain a positive attitude for early recovery?

• Take deep breaths, listen to music, do meditation, and do things you are interested in. Communicate with family and friends via phone or the Internet to gain social support.
• If necessary, call the psychological counseling hotline or seek help from a professional psychologist. Maintain a regular life with diet and enough rest.

Q: When can an infected person return to normal life?

• Conduct antigen self-test and report results according to COVID prevention requirements.
• Home quarantine can be ended after the symptoms are relieved or disappear, the antigen self-test is negative and the Ct value of two nucleic acid tests is above 35 (with an interval of at least 24 hours).

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3. Three key prevention measures during home quarantine:

Proper protection of people living together

• Family members should enhance personal protection and obey home quarantine rules. They should avoid contacting or sharing daily commodities with the infected people. Ventilating every day, keep wearing a mask, wash hands frequently, ensure home sanitation and dine separately.
• Avoid going out unless it is absolutely necessary and refuse visits. Ensure personal protection, such as wearing a N95/KN95 mask, when going to hospitals and avoid taking public transport.
• Check temperature once in the morning and evening along with health monitoring.
• Receive antigen self-test or nucleic acid test if having suspected symptoms such as fever. Follow home quarantine rules if infected.

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Ventilation can reduce the risk of transmission at home

• Ventilate regularly by opening windows or using ventilation equipment every day.
• Turn off the return air for the central air conditioner and use full fresh air mode.

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