Here are health ministry's instructions for care-givers looking after a coronavirus patient at home:

(Source: Ministry of health and family welfare)

NEW DELHI: Ministry of health and family welfare issued additional guidelines on Monday for people who are taking care of people who have been asked to home quarantine after being clinically diagnosed with mild coronavirus.In order to break the chain of transmission, patients who have been clinically diagnosed as very mild or pre-symptomatic cases of Covid-19 are allowed to quarantine at home given they have pre-requisite facilities available.* Mask: The caregiver should wear a triple layer medical mask appropriately when in the sameroom with the ill person. The front portion of the mask should not be touched or handled during use. Ifthe mask gets wet or dirty with secretions, it must be changed immediately. Discard the mask afteruse and perform hand hygiene after disposal of the mask.* He/she should avoid touching own face, nose or mouth.* Hand hygiene must be ensured following contact with ill person or his immediate environment.* Hand hygiene should also be practiced before and after preparing food, before eating, after usingthe toilet, and whenever hands look dirty. Use soap and water for hand washing at least for 40seconds. Alcohol-based hand rub can be used, if hands are not visibly soiled.* After using soap and water, use of disposable paper towels to dry hands is desirable. If notavailable, use dedicated clean cloth towels and replace them when they become wet.* Exposure to patient: Avoid direct contact with body fluids of the patient, particularly oral orrespiratory secretions. Use disposable gloves while handling the patient. Perform hand hygienebefore and after removing gloves.* Avoid exposure to potentially contaminated items in his immediate environment (e.g. avoidsharing cigarettes, eating utensils, dishes, drinks, used towels or bed linen).* Food must be provided to the patient in his room.* Utensils and dishes used by the patient should be cleaned with soap/detergent and water wearinggloves. The utensils and dishes may be re-used. Clean hands after taking off gloves or handlingused items.* Use triple layer medical mask and disposable gloves while cleaning or handling surfaces,clothing or linen used by the patient. Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.* The caregiver will make sure that the patient follows the prescribed treatment.* The caregiver and all close contact will self-monitor their health with daily temperaturemonitoring and report promptly if they develop any symptom suggestive of COVID-19 (fever/cough/difficulty in breathing).It is to be noted that as per existing guidelines, during the containment phase the patients clinically assigned as 'moderate or severe' are admitted to a covid care centre or a dedicated covid health centre or a dedicated covid hospital respectively. Only cases which have been clinically diagnosed as very mild or pre-symptomatic can quarantine themselves at home.