COVID-19 is a pandemic that is sweeping the nation affecting and forever changing every aspect of our daily lives. As cases continue to increase, we will inevitably come to encounter someone that is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, but what can we do when it hits close to home and one of our loved ones that we share a home with is displaying symptoms or diagnosed?
If someone we live with is experiencing COVID symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, it is best to immediately assume it is COVID until there is a test result to confirm or deny the diagnosis. A highly recommended practice by the CDC is to immediately isolate the person in a designated area of the home as a safety measure and to keep the virus from spreading in your household.
After a test result comes back positive for a loved one that resides with us, we should designate a section of the home to the sick individual and begin the quarantine process. It is imperative to try and limit the amount of contact that the sick individual has with anyone in the home and make sure that everyone in the home is washing their hands often and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces as often as possible. Be sure to wear a mask when you come in contact with the sick individual and maintain minimal contact to reduce the chances of infection.
Know when to seek professional help.
Everyone experiences different symptoms with COVID. Shortness of breath and trouble breathing, chest pains, inability to stay awake, bluish lips or face, ongoing confusion are indicators of when it might be time to go to the hospital. We should Communicate with our healthcare provider and be sure to keep their office staff updated on any new or worsening symptoms so that it can be managed accordingly.
Stop the spread
Another recommended practice is to communicate with those that we have been in contact with within the last 2-3 days since an infected person can Spread COVID 2 days before they start experiencing any symptoms or test positive. Reach out to friends or coworkers that we have seen to inform them that we may have been exposed and that they should get tested. This protects those around us and helps to stop the spread.
For more information on COVID-19 symptoms and how to quarantine, be sure to visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
Tags: COVID19, COVID, What to do if a loved one has COVID, Quarantine, COVID tips, Stop the spread.
