Knowing what to do if you are COVID positive is information that you hopefully would never have to use. After all, the reason why we take precautionary measures such as the vaccine and social distancing is to avoid infection in the first place.
But let’s say that you do get infected with COVID-19 and test COVID positive, what exactly should you do? Here are 5 things that you need to remember.
What To Do If You Are COVID Positive
One important thing to remember is that if you are a close contact with a person who tested positive, you should get yourself tested right away. It’s also important to inform your local Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) that you are a close contact1.
Until you get your test results, it’s important to keep yourself in isolation to avoid the possibility of spreading the disease. If you do test COVID positive, then here’s what you need to do:
1. Isolate yourself.
The first thing that you need to do upon testing COVID positive would be to isolate yourself. If you’re living alone, then this is relatively easy to do. However, if you’re living with friends or family, it can be more complicated1.
What this means is that you need to have your own bathroom, your own bedroom, as well as a place where you could eat. Your used dishes and utensils can also have a risk of infecting others, so it would be best if you had some way to clean the dishes by yourself.
Of course, this also means that you should not go out, as you could risk infecting others.
2. If you need to go out, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
In some cases, you might need to go out, especially if it’s an emergency, or there’s no other way for you to get supplies, etc. If you have no other option, then be sure to wear a mask the entire time that you are outside.
As much as possible, it’s also important to avoid public transportation as this only increases the risk that you’ll infect other people.
It’s also important to maintain at least a 1-meter distance from others, and keep your hands clean by washing them often or using hand sanitizer. It’s also important to not stay outside longer than you need to.
3. Manage and monitor your symptoms.
Third on the list of what to do if you are COVID positive is to stay on top of your symptoms. This means that you’ll need to take care of yourself, and monitor your symptoms.
You can take over-the-counter flu medication to help relieve some of the flu-like symptoms. Drinking lots of fluids and getting enough rest is also very important when it comes to your recovery. It’s also a good idea to pay attention to your breathing, and if you experience any unusual symptoms.
4. Stay in touch with your doctor.
If you test COVID positive, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor about it. They should be able to give you advice on what medications to take, what you’ll need to do if your symptoms get worse.
Typically, if you experience more severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, go to the hospital as soon as possible. If you feel anything out of the ordinary, or you’re worried that the symptoms are getting worse, don’t hesitate to go to the hospital.
5. Make sure to stay isolated until you have fully recovered.
Lastly, it’s important to stay isolated until you have fully recovered. In the Philippines, the protocol would be to stay at home for at least 2 weeks starting from when you got COVID positive test results.
The reason behind this is that even if you’ve already physically recovered, you might still be able to infect other people. The extended isolation is to make sure that when you do go out, you are no longer infectious.
Learn more about Coronavirus here.
