Under the Ministry of Health's guidance, over the past times, Da Nang’s healthcare sector has implemented home quarantine scheme for people who came into close contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases (F1 cases). This model has been initially assessed to be effective, significantly contributing to helping reduce the pressure on the city budget, and limiting cross-contamination for high-risk cases.

A F1 case under home quarantine in Son Tra District’s An Hai Bac Ward has his swab samples taken for COVID-19 testing. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Benefits of quarantining F1 cases at home

Since November 2021, Son Tra District has simultaneously conducted home quarantine for F1 cases after witnessing a surge of new daily infections of COVID-19. Till date, a total of 750 F1 cases across the district have been quarantined at home, including over 160 in An Hai Bac Ward.

Head of the An Hai Bac Ward-level Medical Station Le Thi Kim Yen said that the station currently has a total of 7 medical workers, and each of whom is assigned to manage a residential area where F1s are being monitored and quarantined at home.

“Before applying home quarantine scheme for F1 cases, the ward’s healthcare workers will check accommodations for quarantining F1 cases, and instruct people to follow COVID-19 guidelines for the home quarantine in a bid to minimize cross-infection with family members and prevent community transmission" said Mrs. Yen.

As reflected by medical units in the district, all most of residents completely show their agreement and support for the quarantine of F1 cases at home.

The family of Mr. T.D.S, residing in residential group 32 in An Hai Bac Ward, currently has 12 F1 cases who have been quarantined at home.

Every day, the ward’s medical workers visit the family to monitor health status of the quarantined, and remind them to strictly adhere the city’s COVID-19 guidelines for the home quarantine. Also, samples for testing are collected periodically.

“I strongly agree and support the city’s policy for quarantining F1s at home, which both helps to reduce pressure on the city budget and creates comfort and convenience for the quarantined. All my family members voluntarily comply with the city’s home quarantine regulations because that is the way to ensure the safety of ourselves and our beloved ones, and later, the safety of society,” said Mr. S.

According to Vice Chairman of the Son Tra District People's Committee Hoang Cong Thanh, more than 570 F1 cases are now put into home quarantine, most of whom are in Nai Hien Dong and An Hai Bac wards with a high number of new daily COVID-19 cases over recent times.

Mr Thanh highlighted that the compulsory home quarantine for F1s helps reduce a lot of pressure on the budgets of the district and the city as a whole, especially in the context that there are not many centralized quarantine facilities" added Vice Chairman Thanh.

Following recent instructions from the Ministry of Health and the Da Nang Department of Health, other districts in the city have also simultaneously implemented such home quarantine scheme. In particular, Lien Chieu District is placing 309 F1s in quarantine at home, of which 166 cases are in Hoa Khanh Nam Ward, 91 in Hoa Minh Ward, and 28 in Hoa Khanh Bac Ward.

The role of monitoring and periodic sampling

According to Dr Tran Thanh Thuy, the Acting Director of the Da Nang Department of Health, since early August, the city's health sector has piloted quarantine of F1 cases at home in Ngu Hanh Son and Hoa Vang districts.

The trial helps the city’s health sector draw lessons from experience in effectively implementing the home quarantine for F1s and issuing guidelines on the mandatory quarantine period.

Dr Thuy noted, based on the instructions from the Ministry of Health, the city health sector has issued a decision to quarantine F1s at home with very specific instructions. In particular, those who are required to be quarantined at home have got at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 when identified as F1. Also, they have enough awareness and behavioral control ability to strictly adhere to the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health and absolutely do not contact others during the quarantine period.

Meanwhile, according to Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the quarantine of F1 cases at home has very specific requirements, especially not to let the elderly and people with underlying diseases who need medical care stay in the same home with the quarantined. Caregivers for F1 cases must guide the quarantined and themselves to strictly follow the 5K recommendations and the city- prescribed pandemic prevention and control measures.

Mrs Yen highlighted the important role of medical staff at grassroots level in daily receiving information and checking the health status of the quarantined and caregivers. Besides, they have to carry out sampling and testing for SARS-CoV-2 for the quarantined and caregivers according to the city’s regulations.

“Currently, the supervision and sampling of F1 cases at home with frequency of 6 times during the 14-day quarantine period put grassroots medical staff in a lot of pressure. Currently, the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has requested the health sector and the city’s Centre for Disease Control to adjust the sampling frequency accordingly for F1 cases at home in safe and economical manner" said Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Ngo Thi Kim Yen.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG - Translating by M.DUNG