How to care for a Covid-19 patient at home

With the government’s announcement to release asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients from hospital so that they can receive home-based care, it is necessary to learn how to manage these patients at home.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most Covid-19 patients recover from the symptoms after about a week. Even so, absolute care needs to be taken during this time so as to help the patient recover and keep the caregiver and family members safe.

Below are some things to keep in mind when caring for a Covid-19 patient at home.

For the patient

i. Ensure they follow the doctor’s instructions

If they have any medication they have to take, ensure they take it. Setting an alarm can help you and the patient remember to take the medicine.

ii. Give them plenty of fluids and rest

Since there is no specific treatment for the virus, doctors advise that patients should drink enough fluids and get plenty of rest. As a caregiver, ensure there is a peaceful environment around the patient so that they can rest easily. 

Prepare different fluids such as fresh juice, soups and flavoured water to encourage the patient to hydrate.

iii. Limit their contact with other people

Covid-19 is spread from person to person thus it is imperative to reduce contact with the patient. Keep them in a separate room away from the rest of the household even for meals. Where possible, give them their own bathroom. They should also have their own cutlery, bedding and towels.

If you must share rooms, ensure they are well-ventilated. A fan can help move the air around faster.

iv. Emergency contact numbers

Have these on hand in case the patient’s symptoms worsen. If you notice they’re having trouble breathing, have chest pain that doesn’t go away, blue fingers or lips and/or inability to stay awake, call your healthcare provider immediately. 

For the caregiver

i. Protect yourself

When coming into contact with the patient, ensure you put on gloves and a face mask. You can also ask the patient to wear a mask. Remember that those who would have trouble removing the mask in case of an emergency such as children under two, or people with trouble breathing, shouldn’t wear masks.

Use disposable gloves when handling the patient, or cleaning their room. Throw these gloves in a lined dustbin immediately after use and wash your hands thoroughly.

ii. Clean and disinfect your home

Ensure to clean and disinfect your home often. Pay particular attention to high-traffic areas such as light switches, kitchen surfaces, door handles, taps and TV remotes. These should be cleaned even more frequently. 

Method: Clean with soap and water and then disinfect. Remember to follow the manufacturers instructions when using the disinfectant. 

For any rooms used by the patient, only clean them when necessary so as to reduce contact. If they can, let them do the cleaning themselves. Otherwise, allow enough time between the patient being in the room and you cleaning it. The virus can linger in the room for a while.

Remember to wash and disinfect dustbins. 

iii. Laundry

You can wash the patient’s laundry along with that of the rest of the household. 

Use gloves when handling laundry. Avoid shaking dirty laundry. Wash according to the care label using hot water where possible and allow it to dry completely. Clean and disinfect the laundry basket.

Wash your hands after handling laundry.

Even as a caregiver, always keep in mind the basic protection measures we’ve been asked to abide by: wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, use a hand sanitizer if you can’t access soap and water, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth until you wash your hands, disinfect surfaces and practice social distancing. Monitor your health as you care for the patient. Stay at home for 14 days after the patient recovers.