What should we do if someone in our house gets sick with COVID-19?
Today whole world is facing a very tormenting phase because of COVID-19. COVID-19 is a disease caused by the ‘Novel Corona virus’. According to latest the tally by Johns Hopkins, Coronavirus cases have surpassed 1 million today and thousands of patients are dying every day worldwide.
Even in India authorities are on high alert after India recorded its highest single-day rise in cases on Wednesday, (ADD DATE). As no specific therapeutics and vaccines are available for the disease control, the epidemic of COVID-19 is posing a great threat to global public health.
Today through this blog, I would like to share information on measures to be taken if someone in our house gets sick with COVID-19.
Firstly, make it clear that this is a self-limiting infectious disease, and most cases with mild symptoms can recover in 1–2 weeks. Also, according to data its death rate is only 1% in normal people, i.e. if your immune system is well, you will easily come out of this disease. So don’t fear, but of course don’t forget to follow the necessary preventive measures to stop its spread.
1) Firstly, what are the starting symptoms of this infection?
- Fever or
- Dry Cough or
- Shortness of breath
2) What should we do if someone in our house gets sick with these symptoms in your family?
- Immediately seek help from your local health authority, so that they can quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses.
- Follow advice given by your healthcare provider and your national and local public health authority. Also, motivate the sick person to follow the guidelines provided by the health authority.
- Provide recent travel history or contact with travellers of the sick person and co-operate with local health authorities to stop the spread of COVID-19.
- Be empathetic and kind with the sick.
- Learn about the disease to assess the risks.
3)Instructions while dealing with Home-quarantined person:
- Keep the sick in a separate room at home, if possible with an attached/ separate toilet. If toilets are shared, the person who is sick should clean and disinfect after each use. If this is not possible, other family members should wait as long as possible before cleaning and disinfecting.
- Wear a mask all the time when dealing with the sick person. And, make him/ her also to wear it 24 hrs.
- All the things of sick (dishes, towels, beddings etc.) should be kept separately and should be cleaned at least once a day.
- Handle any used dishes, cups/glasses, or silverware with gloves. Wash them with soap and hot water or in a dishwasher.
- Make sure that only one assigned family member is the caretaker.
- Keep a distance of one metre when entering the room.
- Wash your hands when coming out of the room or after taking off gloves.
- If possible, dedicate a lined trash can for the person who is sick. Use gloves when removing garbage bags, and handling and disposing of trash. Wash hands afterwards.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Limit close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet).
- Consider members of the household that may be at greater risk, such as older adults and people with severe chronic illnesses.
- Choose a room in your house that can be used to separate sick household members from others.
- Even after recovering keep the ill person in a separate room from others in the household.
- Continue to practice everyday preventive actions.
- Stay home, avoid gatherings and keep a watch on your health as well.
