Dr Leong said: “The general rule is that he should keep a physical distance of more than 2m apart at all times.
“A family member needs to prepare food and water and place it outside his room, and he can come out and bring it into his room.”
However, Dr Chlebicki said that if the person is asymptomatic, the risk of getting infected by them is low, so there may not be a need for total separation.
The person can come out to get a drink of water, for example.
“If they cough, they could generate a droplet (that could infect others). So, it is possible to be contagious before you display symptoms.
“But asymptomatic people are inefficient in transmitting the virus because they have a smaller amount of it, compared to symptomatic people. I think there should be a risk-benefit balance – the risk of getting the virus from an asymptomatic person is low and the benefit of having your child at home is high.”
But the person should still spend the bulk of the time in a separate room, he said, and family members should also observe basic hygiene such as frequent hand-washing.
Dr Leong said that if the person is using a shared bathroom, more precautions should be taken because the virus can be transmitted via surfaces. “He must wipe down what he touches before and after use, and close the (toilet) lid when flushing. The family members must also do the same.”
Similarly, all “high-touch” areas in the home, such as door handles, doorknobs, taps and sinks must be cleaned frequently, he added.
