The Hanoi Department of Health November 30 announced that it will treat index cases (F0) at home to ease the burden on the healthcare system.

Such measure will be deployed if coronavirus positive cases meet certain conditions set out by the health sector, said Director of the municipal Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha.

Ha reported that the number of locally acquired coronavirus infections is increasing considerably these days in the city, especially the number of mild and asymptomatic cases, with no confirmed infection sources.

Trieu Nguyen Hop, a Covid-19 patient in Thanh Xuan District of Hanoi, recover from the disease. Photo: Thai San

Therefore, in order to create favorable conditions for people as well as ensure timely medical response, the city decided to carry out the treatment of Covid-19 patients at home with the assistance of health workers at makeshift health stations in districts.

“Treating coronavirus patients at home will help people have access to medical services in the earliest way, in line with the safe and flexible anti-pandemic strategy. During the health monitoring process, we also give health advise and dispense drugs, ensuring the best medical care conditions,” Ha said.

“We make a list of eligible households. From this list, we will apply stratification by software. When a positive case is confirmed, we will assess the severity of the patient and base on the family condition to decide whether to give treatment at home or move the patients to hospitals," the director added.

The control of infection and drug distribution would be managed by medical authorities to minimize the number of cases that need to be hospitalized. Localities have been asked to be well prepared, including in medication distribution, to support the patients and ease pressure on Covid-19 treating hospitals.

The Department of Health will deploy the plan this week (from December 1 to 5).

Previously, Hanoi had already devised plans to treat up to 100,000 cases in the capital by categorizing hospitals and medical facilities, for admitting patients in accordance with severity.

Besides, over 5,500 people exposed to Covid-19 patients are being isolated at home instead of in quarantine camps.

As many as more than 2,250 new Covid-19 cases have been reported in the city from November 21 to 29, or nearly 300 cases daily on average. Around two thirds of the total infections were those who have already received two doses of coronavirus vaccines. Just 9.4% of the infections were first dose recipients.