WHO has developed this rapid advice to meet the need for recommendations on safe home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who present with mild symptoms1 and on public health measures related to the management of contacts.
This document was adapted from the interim guidance that addressed Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection that was published in June 2018 (1) and is informed by evidence-based guidelines published by WHO, including Infection prevention and control of epidemic- and pandemic-prone acute respiratory diseases in health care (2), and based on current information regarding COVID-19 infection.
This rapid advice is intended to guide public health and infection prevention and control (IPC) professionals, healthcare managers and healthcare workers (HCWs) when addressing issues related to home care for patients with suspected COVID-19 infection who present with mild symptoms and when managing contacts. This guidance is based on evidence about COVID-19 infection and the feasibility of implementing IPC measures at home. For the purpose of this document, caregivers refer to parents, spouses, other family members or friends without formal healthcare training.