COVID-19, as you may know, is an infective disease that has turned into a worldwide pandemic. It is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has symptoms ranging from headache, loss of taste or smell, aches and pains, and conjunctivitis to fever, dry cough, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. The virus can be fatal to vulnerable groups; today, COVID-19 has claimed more than 3 million lives worldwide. Thus, it is essential to take proper health measures to prevent yourself from getting infected and, even more importantly, to take adequate care of yourself if you are infected.
What to do when you realize you might have been exposed to the virus?
When you realize that you have been exposed to the virus, the first thing to do is to remain calm. Please do not panic. The symptoms of the disease are mild in the majority of the population, and many people recover in home isolation. However, it is essential first to get tested. Call your doctor, call the COVID-19 hotline or search on the internet about where you can get reliable testing done. If you cannot get tested, make sure you stay in isolation away from everyone else for at least two weeks.
What to do if you test positive?
If you get tested positive or suspect that you might be positive for COVID-19, make sure you stay in quarantine. Inform everyone you have contacted about your result and comply with the contact-tracing procedures. Find an isolated room/ place where you can stay alone. Do not go to work or public places where you may contact other people. Stay separately away from your family members too as much as possible. However, please ask someone to check up on you from time to time, be it through the phone or a knock at the door.
Wear a mask and wash your hands frequently.
Then, for 14 days, watch for any symptoms. Contact the COVID-19 hotline if you are unsure of what to do. While headaches, pains, fever, and loss of taste/smell are milder symptoms that can be given symptomatic relief at home, please be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you experience the following danger signs:
- Confusion
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of speech
- Loss of mobility
- Chest pain
Frequently monitor your oxygen saturation and immediately get medical supervision if saturation drops below 95%.
How to accelerate recovery from COVID-19 at home?
Since COVID-19 is a viral disease, the primary way to treat it is to let the body fight the virus. However, it is essential to provide symptomatic relief so that it helps your body fight against the virus. Symptomatic relief includes taking measures such as:
- Taking adequate rest
- Increasing fluid intake
- Pain killers
- Taking Paracetamol(preferably) or Ibuprofen to reduce fever
- If you have a cough, try to relieve it by having a teaspoon of honey (but please do not give this to children below 12 months in age.) Lying on your side or upright may help relieve the cough as well.
- If you feel a little breathless, it is best to get medical help. However, while at home, keeping your room cool might help. Open the window, sit upright, relax and straighten your shoulders, lean slightly forward, and breathe slowly through your nose and pursed lips.
- Please do not panic, as this will do no good.
Although posts have been circulating on social media about using antibiotics at home as self-medication, the World Health Organization does not recommend using any antibiotics for COVID-19 at home.
