F0 is not allowed to leave the isolation place: Regulations are one thing, reality is another

Ms. TTHA (25 years old), Thu Duc city is tired, fever, runny nose for 3 days. She told herself she had Covid-19, but the quick test every day still only showed 1 line. If she is F0, Ms. HA will have a week off work according to the company’s regulations. It wasn’t until the 4th day when she had symptoms that her rapid test result increased to 2 lines.

“The first 3 days I was extremely tired, knew that I was sick, but could not apply for leave because I could not prove F0. So I still go to work as usual, only limiting contact with colleagues. I feel so guilty because I accidentally infect others.”

F0, F1 gather at a medical station in Ho Chi Minh City.

Similarly, Mr. NT (40 years old) even though he knew he was infected with Covid-19, he still had to go to Children’s Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City for his son to be examined.

“I’m fine, but the kids are worried. The baby had a high fever for 2 consecutive days, stopped taking the medicine and had a fever, so he couldn’t sit at home.

I went to the hospital to see many children with Covid-19 there. Parents are also F0, but what can’t be done, our children have to take them away”I said.

Meanwhile, recorded a week ago by VietNamNet at the medical station of Truong Tho ward, Thu Duc city also showed that many F0 and F1 focused on testing and applying for certification.

In other words, F0 came out of the quarantine, whether intentionally or unintentionally… a long time ago.

On March 14, the Ministry of Health issued guidance on home management for people with Covid-19 including instructions for children and adults. In particular, in Section 5.4, there are regulations on infection control and infection prevention measures that must be taken by people with Covid-19 and their caregivers or housemates.

Accordingly, people with Covid-19 should limit going out of isolation places. When you have to leave the quarantine place, you must wear a mask and keep your distance from others.

This regulation is widely understood that F0 can come out of the isolation place, ie leave the house when necessary.

Right on the evening of March 14, the Ministry of Health made a “correction” about the information that F0 would be allowed to leave the house. Accordingly, “isolation place” should be understood as an isolation room in the house. Therefore, F0 is allowed to leave the isolation room and travel indoors, provided that they wear a mask and ensure a distance from people in the house.

“Text is confusing, not the reader’s fault”, Doctor Truong Huu Khanh, an epidemiologist said. He also said that even if the Ministry of Health corrected F0 to only be allowed out of the isolation room, it would still be inappropriate in the current context.

According to doctor Truong Huu Khanh, it is necessary to loosen the management, it is not possible to force F0 in the house anymore. Because in the past, medical staff would take care of him at home, take an ambulance to pick up F0 to the isolation area, the treatment area. Currently, there are many F0s, but medical staff are limited, not enough people to take care of patients at home.

“If it is forbidden to leave the house, how do people go to the doctor and buy medicine? The problem is that F0 should go out of the house by personal vehicle, always wear a mask, consciously protect others.”, he said.

According to Dr. Khanh, at this time, people should consider all strangers as F0 to do a good job of wearing masks and disinfecting. “Now how do we know who has Covid-19 and who doesn’t? Therefore, each citizen needs to protect himself first,” he stressed.

Regardless of the rules, F0 still has to go out of the house sometimes.

Sharing the same view, Dr. Pham Hung Van, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Clinical Microbiology, said that, whether Covid-19 is an endemic disease or not, each citizen needs to protect himself and his family against the virus. Omicron waves.

According to doctor Pham Hung Van, the most important thing is still the vaccine. If anyone has not been vaccinated, they should get two shots to get immunity and protect the body against the cytokine storm if infected with Covid-19.

Second, avoid infection and spread disease. The solution is to maintain a mask and wash your hands, avoid mass gatherings if not necessary, and avoid contact yourself if you are infected.

Third, if you are infected, pay attention to health promotion through nutrition and should only take antiviral drugs as indicated.

Fourth, pay attention to the hygiene of the surrounding environment because solutions such as masks and protection will increase waste.

Doctor Van said that the Covid-19 vaccine is still effective even though SARS-COV-2 changes continuously with the appearance of new variants. Especially effective in reducing the risk of severe progression to hospitalization or death in people with Covid-19.

“However, like the flu vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccine may have to be changed every year to maintain protective immunity. Otherwise, there’s a risk that someday in the future, the vaccine will not be. effective and humanity will have to deal with a new Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

According to Vietnamnet