COVID-19 management and discharge protocols in Assam have been revised, according to which asymptomatic patients will now be discharged after 14 days.

As per the new protocols, a COVID-19 patient will be discharged from the hospital if he/she has completed 14 days in the hospital from the date of collection of his/her first swab sample.

However, such a patient will have to undergo strict home quarantine for 14 days.

The new protocols, however, come with the conditions that the concerned individual does not have a fever, he/she is asymptomatic and his/her oxygen saturation is not below 95 per cent.

"The district administration will ensure that the home quarantine in such cases is strictly enforced for the entire period of 14 days, following the discharge," the protocol further stated.

It's worth mentioning here that until now all positive cases in Assam have been managed in hospitals.

Moreover,  the confirmatory tests to check whether the patient had fully recovered from the infection were also mandatory.

A COVID-19 patient is retested on seventh or the tenth day after the first positive report.

Presently, a patient is tested for the third time only if his/her second test report is positive and the test is carried out three days after the second test report is out.

As per the present protocol, a patient is discharged only after two successive negative tests.

According to a guideline issued by the Union Health Ministry in May, it was stated that a patient can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for three days.

"No need for testing prior to discharge. A patient will be advised to isolate himself/herself at home and self-monitor his/her health for further seven days," the health ministry guidelines stated.

It's worth mentioning here that some states have been following the revised guidelines already.

This has reduced the pressure on COVID hospitals and ensured access for critical cases.