What do I do if I get sick?
If you get sick and suspect it might be a COVID-19 infection:
- There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for COVID-19. Studies are underway for efficacy and safety of these, but it will take months before they are fully approved.
- If experiencing fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, call your health provider or seek medical attention through telehealth from your home and share recent travel history, as well as possible close contact with others diagnosed with COVID-19. Follow their advice.
- If you have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, follow guidelines for self-monitoring and self-quarantine as indicated.
- Self-isolate from people and animals if advised to do so, or until you can get qualified advice. Stay home when you are sick!!
- Get tested for COVID-19 if recommended to do so.
- Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue, then throw it in the trash. If you do not have disposable tissue, bend your elbow and use your sleeve (not your hands!!).
- Only wear a facemask if you have respiratory symptoms or are caring for someone with respiratory symptoms. If you have to interact with others while you are sick, wear a facemask in order to protect others from your sneezes and coughs. If you don’t have a facemask, cover your face with something else, or at least cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, if possible, with a tissue you can discard immediately afterwards and replace it with a new one.
- Those with serious illness will be hospitalized. Most patients recover thanks to supportive care.
- Follow the above stated advice on how to protect yourself and others.
Why don’t we do it in our sleeves