In recent days, the number of F0 cases under home treatment in the province has increased continuously. In order to provide maximum support for F0 cases under home treatment while opportunely detecting severe cases, the province has further strengthened the local network of mobile medical stations, promoting the activities of community-based Covid-19 groups.
Supporting F0 cases at home through mobile medical network
As of March 16, the province had more than 42,000 Covid-19 patients being treated at home. The network of health stations in communes, wards and townships are responsible for supporting those infected with Covid-19. According to statistics, the whole province has been covered by 162 mobile medical stations in 91 communes, wards and towns. These mobile medical stations have the functions of implementing Covid-19 prevention and control activities in the community; connecting care and management of people infected with Covid-19 at home with care at hospital; detecting severe cases in order to opportunely transfer them to upper-level hospitals. They also provide primary healthcare, medical examination, treatment, first aid and timely transfer to upper-level hospitals for patients with common diseases.
Members of the community-based Covid group in Lai Hung commune’s Cau Sat hamlet in Bau Bang district visit and distribute medicine to a F0 case being isolated and treated at home
Nguyen Thi Hau, living in Bau Bang district’s Lai Hung commune shared: "When I got a positive quick test result for SARSCoV-2, I was quite worried, afraid of infecting my children with the pandemic. After being assessed by the hamlet’s officers for home isolation and treatment, I was guided by staff of the mobile medical station on the request process for people isolated at home. I daily sent SP02, body temperature results and existing symptoms to the mobile medical station’s Zalo group managing F0 cases at home. After one week of serious isolation and treatment, I got negative results. My children are healthy without cross-infection."
In Di An city, the support of F0 cases under home treatment is not only implemented through the mobile medical network, but also with the help of community-based Covid-19 groups. The whole city is supporting home care and treatment for more than 10,500 F0 cases. Pham Van Bay, Vice-Chairman of Di An city’s People's Committee said that in order to strengthen support for F0 cases under home treatment, the city took advantage of human resources from community-based Covid-19 groups. Each group takes care of 10 to 20 F0 cases in the community and participates in other Covid-19 prevention and control activities. The F0 care activity of community-based Covid-19 groups is a suitable solution, helping reduce over load at grassroots health sector. In addition, their members are quarters’ officials, so they can closely monitor F0 cases and F0 cases also feel secure when being under home treatment.
Doctor Mai Thi Kim Dung, Deputy Director of Bau Bang district’s Medical Center said that the district is applying a 3-level management model in treating F0 cases at home through the application of smart devices. When detecting a positive case, the communal-level health station will notify this to the mobile health station. The mobile medical station will coordinate with the community-based Covid group to give treatment guidance and support for the F0 case. Through this model, staff of mobile health stations as well as community-based Covid-19 groups can know the date of infected patients for monitoring to have appropriate management processes. Every day, members of mobile health stations will send messages to the Zalo group treating F0 cases twice (morning and afternoon) to check the health of F0s under home treatment, promptly detecting serious cases.
F0 cases under isolation, treatment not being allowed to leave home
This is the content of the Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 616 correcting the Decision No. 604 on "Guidelines for management at home for people with Covid-19". Accordingly, the decision clearly states that people with Covid-19 should minimize to leave their isolation rooms, but not leave home. When leaving their isolation rooms, F0 cases must wear face masks and keep a safe distance from other members.
Regarding regulations on the management of F0 cases at home, doctor Huynh Minh Chin, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Health said that currently, many F0 cases do not know that they are infected with Covid-19 because of having no symptoms, so they still work, eat, drink and shop normally. There are even cases with positive results via quick testing, but are still negligent in Covid-19 prevention-control and freely leave home. With no caregivers, many F0 cases who are asymptomatic, or have mild symptoms still go out. Many people subjectively believe that they have received 3 doses of Covid-19 vaccine and only been mild if being infected, so they do not report to the health authorities and carry out home treatment, leading to serious conditions. Therefore, local authorities need to closely manage, remind people not to be subjective, neglect in Covid-19 prevention and control, and strictly follow regulations on isolation and treatment at home.
As surveyed, some people believe that Binh Duong has been covered by Covid-19 vaccine with a high rate. Many people have become F0 cases and there are families with 4-5 people who are F0 cases while medical sector has faced overload. For F0 cases with mild symptoms or no symptoms, if staying at home, they will not be able to buy foodstuff and nutritional products for recovery. Therefore, the health sector should have flexible guidelines to facilitate F0 cases’ quick recovery, ensuring their jobs as well as Covid-19 prevention and control.
The Ministry of Health’s Decision No.616/QDBYT mending the Decision No.604/QD-BYT on “Guidelines for management at home for people with Covid-19" specifies that people with Covid-19 should minimize going out of their isolation rooms, but not be allowed to leave home. When leaving their isolation rooms, they must wear masks and keep a safe distance from other members.
Reported by Hoang Linh-Translated by Kim Tin
