Bengaluru: In order to make hospitalisation available to the needy, it has been suggested by the Treatment Protocol Committee to take stricter measures to shift 30 to 40 percent of the bed occupants who are not seriously ill but staying in the hospitals to Covid Care Centres (CCCs) or Step Down Hospitals. 

Deputy Chief Minister and State COVID Task Force Chairman Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan told media persons on Friday that patients, whose condition improve and become stable after the initial days of treatment need not continue to stay there for 14 days or so. Normally, the condition of the infected becomes stable after 4-5 days of treatment and then they should be shifted to CCCs or Step Down Hospitals. This is applicable for patients both in the Government and Private Hospitals, he said. 

As more number of infected were getting admitted to hospitals even though they don’t require hospitalisation, he said the Committee has decided to put a check on this too. In fact, hospitalisation was necessary only for those whose oxygen saturation dips below 90. To avoid unnecessary hospitalisation, triaging of the infected in Fever Clinics will be augmented. 

For those who are not able to go to Fever Clinics, the health staff will be sent to the homes of the infected to conduct triaging, he added.

Auditing, quality maintenance and monitoring is necessary in every hospital to facilitate quality treatment and this must be implemented immediately. Since a large number of infected were  undergoing home isolation, follow-up of these infected will be given importance. Tele-consultation and testing of primary contacts of home isolated will be given prominence, he stated.