What To Do If You Suspect You Are Unwell
During COVID-19 lockdown, we are all advised to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary that we leave. If you do feel unwell and need to seek medical attention or attend a doctor’s appointment, follow these steps:
- Check in with yourself and be sure it’s nothing you can deal with at home with what you have at your disposal
- Often all you need to recover from a cold or flu is:
- Healthy food and lots of water
- Warm drinks such as herbal tea
- Lots of rest
- Vitamin C or multivitamins
- If you do need to leave home for medical treatment, practice all the recommendations to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus:
- Wash your hands before you leave home
- Stay at least 2-3m away from other people
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Disinfect your hands with hand sanitiser (60% alcohol) after touching objects and surfaces
- Wash your hands again when you get home
- Isolate yourself if you think you may be infected with COVID-19 or while you wait for results from testing
- Stay at home and rest
COVID-19: What To Do If You Think You Are Infected
The symptoms of COVID-19 typically present themselves with cold-like symptoms – fever, runny nose and a cough. Vomiting and diarrhoea have also been reported. If you are showing definitive signs:
- Call your general healthcare practitioner. Your doctor will advise you on whether you should be tested for COVID-19 and where to go
- Until you have been tested and you have the results, stay isolated from other family members
- All family members should self-isolate at home until the results are received. If you need groceries or medication, ask a third party to shop for you. Avoid contact with the person when they drop off groceries
- Wear a facemask if you need to interact with your family for any reason
What Are the Symptoms?
The new COVID-19, the flu, and the common cold have similar symptoms, but severe cases of COVID-19 are far deadlier. The following table compares symptoms of COVID-19 to those of the flu and the common cold:
COVID-19 | Seasonal Flu | Common Cold |
· Fever | · Fever | · Runny or stuffy nose |
· Dry cough | · Dry cough | · Sneezing |
· Muscle ache | · Muscle ache | · Sore throat |
· Fatigue | · Fatigue | |
· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing | · Headache | |
· Sore throat | ||
· Runny or stuffy nose |
More severe cases of COVID-19 infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death, so it is advisable that you contact your doctor and seek medical advice should show symptoms of COVID-19 infection as listed in the above table.
We are here to support you through COVID-19 lockdown and beyond.
Contact the Crisis Support Centre on 0860 111 646 or SMS “COVID” to 43821.