A set of home quarantine guidelines has been announced by the National Committee for Epidemics on Monday.

These guidelines came after the Ministry of Health announced the start of implementation of home quarantine for COVID-19 patients under 18 years of age, healthcare providers and health institution clients.

The instructions include the following: 

• Categorically defining eligibility for home quarantine
• Following up with patients to ensure adherence to the home quarantine
• Securing transportation for isolated patients between their homes and hospitals in case their health condition deteriorates
• Establishing home isolation rules — taking into consideration each case's living conditions and imposing measures to protect the health of other family members
• Acquiring written consent from the patient's legal guardian
• Mothers of patients to effectively home isolate.

Building isolations will no longer be implemented and instead, local authorities will require COVID-19 patients and compromised individuals to sign pledges to abide by quarantine measures, said the spokesperson for the committee, Nazir Obeidat.

The instructions aim to protect isolated individuals' health, their families' well-being and the general public.

The committee stressed the need to test all cases to maintain control over the COVID-19 situation in the Kingdom.