China unveils trial protocol for managing recovered COVID-19 patients

BEIJING -- A trial protocol on recovered COVID-19 patients' quarantine, return visits to doctors, re-testing and health monitoring has been released by the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against the novel coronavirus.

According to the protocol, recovered COVID-19 patients should stay in quarantine for 14 days either at home or in an isolation center for medical observation.

During the isolation period, those having recovered from the disease should take their temperatures daily and be on the lookout for fever and respiratory symptoms including cough and breathing difficulties, the protocol said.

Designated hospitals should make plans for patients' return visits and re-testing for the next two to four weeks following their discharge, it said, adding that sputum samples are more reliable and should be the first choice for re-testing.

Those who have been discharged from hospitals will be categorized as confirmed cases if they test positive, show symptoms including fever and cough, and CT scan results show their lung conditions have worsened. In such cases, the patients should be hospitalized for further treatment, the protocol said.