Discharging COVID-19 patients after 14 days safe: HMC official

The new protocol to discharge COVID-19 patients after two weeks even if they test positive for the virus is safe as the infectivity levels have been found to plunge to zero after 10 days, said a senior virologist at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).

Qatar introduced the new protocol and now majority of patients are discharged from healthcare facilities 14 days after their first positive swab.

“This is the new action we will take based on the latest information. The new protocol for discharging patients with COVID-19 is an encouraging step forward and brings Qatar in line with the most recent scientific evidence showing that after 10 days from the first positive swab, the majority of patients are no longer contagious with COVID-19,” he told The Peninsula.

“But we have gone slightly beyond and stretched to 14 days. We will be discharging COVID-19 patients even if they are tested positive at the end of their two-week hospital treatment because they would not be able to infect others,” he said.

He also emphasised that fragments of most respiratory viruses are detected for days, but in case of COVID-19, it can be for several weeks.

“Patients may still test positive after 14 days due to virus shedding or because the test detected the fragment of the dead virus,” said Dr. Peter.

Guidelines from WHO and from around the world, including the United Kingdom, United States, and Germany have shown that patients are no longer contagious after 10 days.

However, patients will then be advised to undergo home quarantine for 14 days. Upon discharge from a hospital or isolation facility, patients should follow the instructions provided by medical professionals, including downloading and activating the Ehteraz mobile application.

The new discharge policy applies only to those patients who do not require medical support. Any patient with moderate to severe symptoms that require ongoing medical treatment will continue to be cared for in a medical facility until their symptoms subside.
“If the person is still sick will not be discharged,” said Dr. Peter.

Earlier, many patients have remained in hospital or isolation facilities for longer than fourteen days as their discharge required them to have two negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test results before leaving the facility.

The new protocol will benefit patients by enabling them to return home and back to normal life as quickly as possible.