Kathmandu. Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Jageshwar Gautam informed that the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Sunday has decided to provide free PCR tests and treatment only to the financially deprived, helpless citizens, helpless single women, severely disabled citizens, senior citizens, frontline health workers, sanitation workers, security personnel and other employees working in risky areas. In case if people in these categories have health insurances, then, the treatment cost will be deducted from the amount insured.

Gautam also informed that patients would be discharged from the hospital within 10 days, 3 days after the symptoms disappears. Thereafter, the patients must stay on home isolation for at least 7 days. So far, the hospitals have been releasing the patients after 14 days.

The ministry also issued new quarantine guidelines for health employees who have been on duty for 7 days. These frontline workers will be placed in quarantine for 7 days only if the symptoms appear. Till now, they were kept on 7-days quarantine after 7 days on work.

Also, the government, private, community and cooperative hospitals which have been arranging 20 to 30 per cent of the beds for Covid patients will now have to set aside at least 50 per cent of beds.