Home-Based Care - Reference Guide for COVID-19

This guide provides recommendations to nonprofits, Red Cross Red Crescent network and community organizations who are designing programs and materials in response to COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries. The working group designed it as a supplemental tool for organizations working specifically with community health workers (CHWs) (including trained community health volunteers) as they are reaching households, however the content can be adapted for other purposes.

This guide focuses on three main areas: how to support a person whose condition warrants home care because of non-severe symptoms and home care is recommended by local jurisdictions; how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the home; and how to provide emotional support to family members. While this manual provides information on danger signs of COVID-19, it should not be used as a guide for when and how a person who has COVID-19 (or its symptoms) should seek medical care. All content adapted to different countries should reflect local policy guidelines and recommendations.

Information from this document was sourced from reliable organizations such as the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hesperian Health Guides and others. Key recommendations are highlighted at the top of each section for easy integration into field materials, guides and training resources. Adaptations of recommendations for low-resource settings are provided throughout and in the annex.
Much remains to be learned about the repercussions, prevention and transmission of COVID-19.

Therefore, this manual will be reviewed and updated every month. Each time information is updated, changes will be highlighted and listed at the beginning of the document.

The collaborators of this document recognize that COVID-19 has created additional economic, emotional and physical stressors for people around the world. Many have lost loved ones to the virus and even more have lost their livelihoods and stability. We hope that this manual provides clear, concise messaging and technical advice to help implementers and managers navigate these difficult times.