Guidelines to deal with a positively-tested coronavirus patient

The Standard Club issued advice concerning the coronavirus situation, focusing on how to act when a patient who has been positively tested for coronavirus is unable to be transported to a medical facility.

Specifically, there is a high possibility that if a seafarer is positively tested for coronavirus, they will not be immediately transported to a medical facility.

Standard Club proposes that in an event like this, interested parties should follow the guidelines below:

Communication link with a health care provider should be established for the full duration of the care period until the patient fully recovers or is transported to a medical care facility ashore.
Health care personnel should be involved in reviewing the current health status for the progression of symptoms.
The patients and other crew members should be educated on personal hygiene, basic infection prevention and control measures, on how to care for the suspected infected crew member as safely as possible, and to prevent spread of infection.
Place the patient in a well-ventilated single room.
Limit the number of caretakers of the patient, ideally assign one person who is in a good health without risk conditions. No visitors.
Other crew members should stay in a different room.
Limit the movement of the patient and minimize shared space.
The caregiver should wear a medical mask fitted tightly to the face when in the same room with the ill person. Masks should not be touched or handled during use.
Perform hand hygiene following all contact with ill persons or their immediate environment.
When using soap and water, disposable paper towels to dry hands is desirable.
Respiratory hygiene should be practiced by all, especially ill persons, at all times.
Avoid direct contact with body fluids, particularly oral or respiratory secretions, and stool. Use disposable gloves to provide oral or respiratory care and when handling stool, urine and waste.
Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
Gloves, tissues, masks and other waste generated by ill persons or in the care of ill persons should be placed in a lined container in the ill person’s room before disposal
Avoid other types of possible exposure to ill persons or contaminated items in their immediate environment (e.g. avoid sharing toothbrushes, cigarettes, eating utensils, dishes, drinks, towels, washcloths or bed linen).
Eating utensils and dishes should be cleaned with either soap or detergent and water after use and may be re-used instead of being discarded.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as bedside tables, bedframes, and other bedroom furniture daily with regular household disinfectant containing a diluted bleach solution (1-part bleach to 99 parts water).
Clean and disinfect bathroom and toilet surfaces at least once daily with regular household disinfectant containing a diluted bleach solution.
Clean clothes, bedclothes, bath and hand towels, etc. of ill persons using regular laundry soap and water or machine wash at 60–90 °C with common household detergent, and dry thoroughly. Place contaminated linen into a laundry bag. Do not shake soiled laundry and avoid direct contact of the skin and clothes with the contaminated materials.
Use disposable gloves and protective clothing (e.g. plastic aprons) when cleaning or handling surfaces, clothing or linen soiled with body fluids. Perform hand hygiene before and after removing gloves.
Persons with symptoms should remain isolated until they can be transferred to a medical facility
All crew members should be considered contacts and their health should be monitored.