Govt reduces home quarantine for primary contacts

• Defines Primary and Secondary contacts
• Home Quarantine for primary contacts reduced to 7 days with 7 days self monitoring. To be tested on Day 0 and Day 7
• No quarantine for secondary contacts and no test compulsory.

Udupi, Sep 26: The state government has issued a circular reducing the home quarantine for primary contacts of COVID patients to seven days. The secondary contacts need not be under quarantine.

The Health and Family Welfare Commissionerate has revise the quarantine and testing protocols for ‘contacts’ of COVID-19.

I. Definition of Contact:

A contact is a person who is likely to acquire infection from a positive case through any of the known modes of transmission.

1. Anyone exposed to a symptomatic COVID-19 case, from 2 days before to 14 days after the onset of symptoms, if not isolated earlier.
2. For asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic cases, the period for contact tracing is taken as 2 days before to 14 days after the date of sample collection, if not isolated earlier.
3. The duration (>15 minutes), the proximity (<I meter) and the nature (use of appropriate PPE), etc. of exposure are important considerations in defining a contact.

1.1 Definition of primary/high-risk contact:

1. Lives in the same household as the COVID-19 positive person
2. Anyone in close proximity (within I meter/3 feet) of the confirmed positive case without appropriate PPE
3. Touched or cleaned the linens, clothes, or utensils of the COVID-19 positive person
4. Had direct physical contact with Covid positive person including physical examination without PPE
5. Passenger in close proximity (within I meter) of a conveyance with a symptomatic person who later tested positive for COVID-19
6. Touched body fluids of the patient without appropriate PPE like respiratory secretions, blood, vomit, saliva, urine, faeces, etc.

1.2. Definition of Secondary/low-risk contact:

• Any contact not fitting into the above high risk contact description
• Please note: Low Risk Contacts do not mean NO RISK contact; equal emphasis in tracing must be given for secondary/low risk contacts as they may be potential sources for transmitting the infection.

1.3. For the purpose of guiding field activities the following are the settings where contact tracing shall be followed

2. Quarantine and testing protocols for contacts:

2.1. Primary/ high risk contacts:

Quarantine:

1. The primary/high risk contacts shall be advised home quarantine for 7 days
2. In case home quarantine is not feasible, institutional quarantine shall be advised

Testing:

i. If the primary/high risk contact is symptomatic, the person shall be immediately tested for COVID-19

ii. If primary/high risk contact is asymptomatic, the person shall be tested twice for COVID-19:

• Tested once immediately (day 0) and on 7th day after high risk exposure to a Covid positive case.
• If the test result is positive, person shall be treated as per existing protocol
• If the test result is negative, such primaryhigh risk contact shall be in self-reporting period for another 7 days. During self-reporting, the person shall strictly comply with all COVID-19 precautions while at home/travel/workplace. They shall report immediately, if they develop any symptoms of COVID-19 or call Apthamitra helpline 14410

2.2 Secondary/ Low Risk Contacts:

A Quarantine:

i. No quarantine is required

ii. They shall be in self-reporting period for 14 days. During self-reporting period:

• They shall be advised to use facemask at all times
• They shall be advised to practice physical distancing, cough etiquettes and hand hygiene
• They shall be advised to immediately call Apthamitra helpline 14410, if they develop any symptoms of COVID-19
• If they develop symptoms of COVID-19 during the self-reporting period, they shall be tested

B. Testing:

i. If the secondary/low risk contact is symptomatic during the self-reporting period, the person shall be immediately tested for COVID- 19
ii. If secondary/low risk contact is asymptomatic, no test for COVID-19 is required