Government of Kerala issues new COVID-19 Guidelines

The Government of Kerala on April 01, 2023, issued a notification regarding the COVID-19 Guidelines. The following guidelines have been issued namely: –

1. Masks are mandatory for individuals with lifestyle diseases, pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
2. No hospital should deny treatment to COVID-19 patients and in all districts, samples of those who test positive for COVID-19 will be collected by WGS in accordance with existing norms. The collected samples should be sent for Whole Genome Sequencing testing. District Surveillance Officers are responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement.
3. Individuals with diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, and other illnesses, as well as pregnant women, children, and the elderly, must wear masks in public places and hospitals. Individuals over the age of 60 or with any of the aforementioned illnesses should undergo an RT-PCR test and receive treatment according to established standards if they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. Patients and their attendants must wear masks when entering hospitals, and health workers must wear masks inside the hospital premises. The District Medical Officer is responsible for enforcing these guidelines.
4. Asha workers and field personnel are responsible for recognizing pregnant women with influenza symptoms. If these women have symptoms, they should be checked for COVID-19.