The Welsh government has relaxed guidance for discharging hospital patients who have tested positive for Covid to social care settings.
People with a negative Covid test, or a test with a cycle threshold (CT) number of 35 or above, may be discharged provided that 14 days have elapsed since the last positive test or onset of symptoms, and the person has been free from fever for three days, and other symptoms having shown improvement.
Previously, hospital patients in Wales needed a negative swab before being discharged.
Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething (pictured) said the latest scientific advice has allowed Wales to strike a better balance between keeping care homes safe and discharging patients from hospital.
“We can now say with confidence that a person who has a test result with a CT number of 35 or above is no longer infectious and therefore can return to their home or a social care setting without posing a risk of Covid to others, or facing the need to isolate for a period of time,” he added.
In addition, Covid outbreaks in care homes may now be declared over after 20 days have elapsed since the last positive test or manifestation of symptoms. The previous guideline was 28 days.
“Individuals are very unlikely to still be infectious 20 days after the last case in a closed setting has been identified,” said Gething.
