SA residents to be given care kits to treat COVID-19 at home
South Australians who become infected with COVID-19 will soon have access to special care kits to help them treat the virus at home.
The new home COVID-19 kits are part of the state government's plan for health authorities to remotely monitor residents when borders reopen this week.
Doctors fear there will still be a surge of COVID-19 patients who may push the limits of the state's already struggling hospital system.
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South Australian residents will soon be allowed to quarantine at home. Supplied
The state government expects 85 per cent of people who test positive to the virus will manage their own care at home.
Ten per cent will be housed in a medi-hotel like Tom's Court Hotel and 5 per cent will be admitted to hospital.
"COVID shouldn't be seen as a very scary, very frightening process, it should be seen as something that you can safely manage in the home environment," Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Emily Kirkpatrick said today.
Specialised kits will be dropped off to people with COVID-19 isolating at home so they can check their oxygen levels and temperature.
The data will then be fed directly to the HealthCheck SA app, with a care team to monitor each patient remotely.
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The SA government expects 85 per cent of people who test positive to COVID-19 will manage their own care at home. Supplied
Those unable to access the app will be given a tablet to log their symptoms.
"We have to watch for early signs of deterioration or early signs of becoming unwell," Dr Kirkpatrick said.
The app will also monitor the wellbeing of close contacts.
For those who do test positive you and your household must stay home.
SA Health will then decide where you will quarantine for 14 days.
"We try to keep families together as much as possible it does mean that you can spend a couple of weeks together so you have to love and like each other," Dr Kirkpatrick said.
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Data from the specialised kits will be fed directly to the HealthCheck SA App. Supplied
The government hopes the care from home system will ease the pressure on overrun hospitals. But the doctors' union says it's not enough.
"We clearly need a lot more medical staff on the ground ready to go, we don't need more people on telephones and operating virtual services. We need actual doctors in front of actual patients," Salaried Medical Officers' Association's David Pope said.
Premier Steven Marshall said his government has committed "around $120 million to create the equivalent of around 400 beds".
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