Guangzhou has adjusted the medical treatment service, especially on the procedures of fever clinics and emergency treatment, the classification of inpatients, and the home treatment of positive infections, according to Guangzhou COVID-19 Control and Prevention Command Center on December 13.

(Photo:  Southen Metropolis Daily)

Fever clinics should open 24 hours in principle

PCR testing results must not limit patients from going to fever clinics and emergencies. All medical and health institutions should not transfer patients to designated or sub-designated hospitals according to positive PCR testing results or ignore the patient's main symptoms.

In principle, fever clinics are open 24 hours a day. They may only be closed or suspended treatment with permission from the health care administration.

Inpatient classification and treatment

Patients with fever and respiratory symptoms could go to fever clinics and conduct COVID-19 antigen tests. For people without 48-hour negative PCR testing results, antigen or nucleic acid testing can be conducted in an appropriate area within the hospital. No further PCR testing is required for antigen-positive patients with stable disease conditions.

Residents could return and be treated at home in a closed loop after reporting to the community; the medical and health institutions will transfer those willing to go to the makeshift hospitals for isolation.

COVID-19 inpatients will be transferred to designated or sub-designated treatment hospitals for further treatment. Admitted patients are required to have PCR testing before admission, and inpatients with positive PCR testing results should be arranged to relatively separate treating areas.

Asymptomatic or mild-type infections could be isolated at home for observation and treatment and then admitted to the hospital after the isolation.

Home-care infections should seek medical treatment if their conditions have changed

Infections returning to communities will be instructed by the "community health trio" and should keep health monitoring.

Asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients who do not have underlying diseases will be home-cared. The elderly asymptomatic and mild patients with difficulty in moving will be home-cared or wait for door-to-door service from medical workers.

Patients whose PCR tests have the threshold cycle (Ct) equal to or more than 35 on the 6th and 7th day of domestic quarantine will be released. Ct is the number of cycles required for the fluorescent signal to cross a given value threshold in the PCR testing. The higher Ct value means the lower virus concentration in the PCR sample.

Severe and critical COVID-19 infections will be sent to designated hospitals for treatment.

Severe and critical COVID-19 infections with underlying diseases, whose conditions are beyond the capacity of community healthcare institutions and sub-designated hospitals, will be transferred to the leading hospitals of the related medical association and the counterpart collaborating hospitals for treatment. All medical institutions should not refuse to provide medical services for COVID-19 infections for any reason.

Home-care infections whose conditions have changed can go out with self-protection and seek medical treatment or call 120. All emergency healthcare teams in Guangzhou should not deny treatment based on the PCR testing results.

Source from GDToday

Edited by IEC