Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonarda amended Saturday, June 12, Executive Order No. 28 that sets the guidelines for hospital-supervised home quarantine (HSHQ) for asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City.
Leonardia pointed out that Bacolod has been experiencing a spike and rebound in COVID-19 infection for the past 14 days of May that has continued in June prompting the Department of Health to classify the city as a “high-risk” area.
The amended guidelines state that those who are qualified to apply for hospital-supervised home isolation/quarantine must have all of the following current conditions:
*The patient is a confirmed asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 case only (meaning that he does not manifest moderate, severe, or critical symptoms of COVID-19, which would require facility or hospital isolation instead);
*The patient is considered vulnerable or with comorbidities; and
*The patient’s home meets the conditions and requirements in the home care checklist.
The HSHQ will terminate upon the proper discharge of the patient, the EO said.
If over the course of home quarantine or isolation, the condition of the contact, suspect, probable, or confirmed case of COVID-19 worsens or if they are unable to properly comply with home quarantine or isolation protocols, they will be admitted to a Ligtas COVID Center or the appropriate health facility, it also said.
For the purpose of strict observance/compliance of HSHQ the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams in coordination with the Bacolod City Health Workers will coordinate in their conduct of routine monitoring and inspection of the patient/s under HSHQ and should immediately report to the proper authority their findings that may require appropriate action for the pre-termination of HSHQ, the EO added.
Patients with mild symptoms who have completed at least ten days of isolation from the onset of illness either at home or at a temporary treatment and monitoring facility, inclusive of three days of being clinically recovered and asymptomatic, can be discharged and reintegrated to the community without the need for further testing, provided that a licensed medical doctor clears the patient, it added.
Confirmed cases with mild symptoms can be tagged as recovered once discharge criteria is met, the EO said.
Asymptomatic, immune-competent individuals who test PCR positive and remain asymptomatic for at least 10 days from date of specimen collection can discontinue isolation after 10 days and be tagged as a recovered confirmed case without need for further testing, provided a licensed medical doctor certifies or clears the patient, the EO added.
Close contacts who remain asymptomatic for at least 14 days from date of exposure can discontinue their quarantine without need of any test, it said.
Repeat testing should not be a prerequisite for the issuance of clearance or certification to be issued by medical doctors. The local health officer or his/her designated physician shall issue a Certificate of Completion of Quarantine or Isolation to those who are discharged or who shall be ending home quarantine, the EO said.
The mayor directed the barangay captains their respective enforcement officials/personnel with the assistance of the police to assist the city government in enforcing the HSHQ, particularly in conducting routine patrols/monitoring that the patient/s and persons in the same household are complying their home-confinement within the period of their isolation/quarantine.
The diagnoses conducted by the hospital/s on the asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 condition/s of the patient/s will be affirmed by the City Health Office doctors, the EO said.*