Concerned You Have COVID-19? Health First Explains How to Feel Better and Protect Others
By Health First // August 25, 2020
If your symptoms are severe, such as you’re struggling to breathe, call 9-1-1 immediately
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Perhaps you’re just going about your day and, then, something doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s chills. A fever. A dry cough. Or you can’t taste your food anymore. And you inevitability start to think about where you’ve been, who you’ve seen and the big question.
“Could I have COVID-19?”
Plenty of us have wondered ourselves at the slightest sniffle or wave of malaise. We can all do our parts to slow the spread of COVID-19. And sometimes, it starts right in our own homes.
If you suspect you may have COVID-19 and are feeling well enough to rest up and ride it out at home, it’s important to remember the following tips, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
■ Stay home. If you’re feeling ill (whether it’s possibly COVID-19 or something else), you belong in your home, where you cannot spread your sickness to others. Not only do you need your rest, but it comes down to common courtesy.
■ Rest up and drink up (water, that is). Get in bed and sleep – your body needs it. Make sure to drink plenty of water to help in the healing process and general wellness.
Hydration is crucial to maintain health – and when you’re sick, you need it even more.
Monitor your symptoms carefully. If you aren’t feeling well but can manage your illness without a visit to the doctor’s office, do so – but keep in mind if you start to feel worse or are concerned about how you’re feeling, you need to call your primary care provider as soon as possible.
Urgent care is also an option, as is a Virtual Visit.
■ Call 9-1-1 if needed. If your symptoms are severe, such as you’re struggling to breathe, call 9-1-1 immediately.
■ Inform your provider. When scheduling an appointment, it’s critical you inform the office you suspect you may have COVID-19 so they are prepared.
While healthcare teams are wearing masks and other personal protective equipment, in addition to taking other precautions to protect themselves and others, it’s important they know.
■ Wash your hands often. And if you can’t, use hand sanitizer frequently to kill whatever germs are lingering.
■ Cover your coughs and sneezes. It’s critical to help prevent the spread of airborne germs and viruses. Don’t cough into your hands, either. Make sure to do so into the crook of your arm or a tissue (which should be tossed in the trash immediately).
■ Self-isolate. If you’re feeling ill (COVID-19 or something else), keep yourself contained to a separate room to avoid infecting the rest of your household. Use a separate bathroom, too. High-touch surfaces in the bathroom can be breeding grounds for spreading sickness.
■ Don’t share stuff. As in personal items. Don’t drink from the same cup, eat from the same plate and so forth. If in doubt, defer to common sense.
■ Clean and disinfect often. High-touch surfaces should be frequently cleaned and disinfected. Light switches, doorknobs, remote controls, the refrigerator handle – they’re all high traffic and should be wiped clean frequently, especially after someone who is ill touches them.
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