Most patients with COVID-19 have mild to moderate disease and do not require hospital care. The following are objective criteria which can be used to help aid in decision making regarding whether a patient with suspected COVID-19 infection requires inpatient care:
- CURB 65 score > 2 or Pneumonia Severity Index score of >90 indicate likely benefit from hospital stabilization. Both are available on mdcalc.com for rapid calculation.
- Any patient with a RR>24 with an oxygen saturation less than 93% on their baseline oxygenation (normally room air, unless on chronic home O2) should also be considered for admission.
- Patients in obvious distress should also be considered for admission.
Ultimately, provider determination of the overall well-being of the patient must be taken into consideration. As more evidence is accumulated, these guidelines will be fine-tuned.