Guide to Prevention and Control for Specific Populations I

Prevention and Control Guidelines for the Elderly

1. Ensure that the elderly acquire awareness of personal protective measures, hand hygiene requirements; avoid sharing personal items; pay attention to ventilation; and implement disinfection measures. Encourage the elderly to wash their hands frequently.

2. When the elderly have suspicious symptoms such as fever, cough,sore throat, chest tightness, dyspnea, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea,conjunctivitis, muscle soreness, etc., the following measures should be taken:

2.1 Self-quarantine and avoid close contact with other person.

2.2 Health status should be assessed by medical staff and those with abnormal health conditions will be transferred to a medical institution.Wearing surgical mask is required on the way to hospital, avoiding taking public vehicles if possible.

2.3 People who have close contact with suspicious cases should get registration immediately as well as receiving medically observation.

2.4 Reduce unnecessary gatherings, dinner parties and other group activities, and do not arrange for centralized dining.

2.5 If any elderly person with suspicious symptoms is diagnosed COVID-19, those who are in close contact should receive medical observation for 14 days. After the patient leaves(such as hospitalization, death, etc.), the room where he/she has lived and possible contaminated materials should be applied terminal disinfection in time. The specific disinfection procedure should be operated or instructed by professionals from local CDC, or a qualified third party. The residence without disinfection is not recommended for use.