Over 80 million Americans have gotten COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. If you test positive, act fast to keep yourself safe and stop the virus from spreading. Knowing what to do can help you recover safely and stop the virus from spreading further.
Key Takeaways
- Seek immediate medical attention if you have severe COVID-19 symptoms.
- Monitor your symptoms and isolate at home to prevent infecting others.
- Wear a mask to protect those around you from the virus.
- Inform your close contacts so they can also take precautions.
- Improve ventilation and hygiene to reduce the risk of transmission.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, get medical help right away. The COVID-19 symptoms can be mild or severe. Some need quick treatment to avoid serious problems.
Symptoms and Emergency Warning Signs
Watch out for symptoms like trouble breathing, ongoing chest pain, confusion, and blue lips or face. These emergency warning signs mean you should call 911 or see a doctor fast.
- Difficulty breathing
- Persistent chest pain or pressure
- Confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
Options for Getting a Prescription
There are ways to get a COVID-19 prescription. You can talk to your doctor, use a telehealth service, or go to a Test-to-Treat site. Starting treatment in the first 5-7 days can prevent serious issues, hospital stays, and death.
“COVID-19 treatments work best when started within the first 5-7 days of symptoms and can help prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death.”
Getting quick medical help and the right COVID-19 treatment can greatly improve your recovery and health.
Monitor Your Symptoms
If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19, it’s key to watch your symptoms closely. Call your healthcare provider if your COVID-19 symptoms get worse or if new symptoms appear. This includes emergency signs like trouble breathing. Keep an eye on your symptoms, even if they were mild at first.
Long-term symptoms or “long COVID” need quick attention. Talk to a healthcare provider about your condition. They can help you manage and recover from the illness.
| Symptom | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fever | 100°F (37.8°C) | 101°F (38.3°C) | 102°F (38.9°C) or higher |
| Cough | Mild, dry cough | Persistent cough | Severe, productive cough |
| Shortness of Breath | Mild difficulty breathing | Moderate difficulty breathing | Severe difficulty breathing, shortness of breath at rest |
By keeping a close eye on your symptoms and getting medical help when needed, you can recover safely and effectively from COVID-19. This includes dealing with long COVID issues.
Isolate to Prevent Spreading the Virus
If you test positive for COVID-19, it’s key to stay home to stop the virus from spreading. This is true even if you’ve been vaccinated or had COVID-19 before. You should stay isolated for at least 5 full days. This starts from when you first felt symptoms or the day you tested positive if you didn’t have symptoms.
Length of Isolation Period
To end your isolation after 5 days, you must be symptom-free or have mild symptoms that are getting better. You also need to be fever-free for 24 hours without any medicine. Following these steps is important to make sure you’re not contagious anymore before you go back to normal life.
Isolation Tips and Resources
While you’re in COVID-19 isolation, there are many resources to help you get food, medicine, and other essentials. Many communities have support systems for those in isolation. So, don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Taking these steps is key to keep your loved ones and community safe.
- Look for local groups or services that can bring groceries, prescriptions, or other items to your home.
- Work with friends, family, or neighbors to have them drop off supplies while keeping a safe distance.
- Check out online ordering for food, household items, and medicines to cut down on in-person visits.
- Keep in touch with family and friends online to stay supported during the isolation period.
Remember, by following the guidelines and using isolation resources, you and your community can stay safe and healthy during this challenging time.
Wear a Mask to Protect Others
Wearing a well-fitting mask helps stop COVID-19 from spreading to others. You should put on a mask when you’re with people indoors, especially if they’re at risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. Keep wearing your mask until day 10 after your symptoms start or you test positive, even if you stop isolating early.
The CDC suggests using a high-quality mask like an N95, KN95, or surgical mask for the best protection. These masks filter out more airborne particles, making them a strong barrier against the virus.
- N95 masks are top-notch for protecting against airborne particles, filtering out up to 95% of them.
- KN95 masks work similarly to N95 masks and are used as an alternative when N95 masks are scarce.
- Surgical masks are great at blocking respiratory droplets and aerosols, but they might not block as much as N95 or KN95 masks.
By choosing a well-fitted, high-quality mask, you protect yourself and others. This is key in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic together.
“Masks are a simple, effective way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Wearing a high-quality mask can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.”
Inform Your Close Contacts
If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19, it’s key to tell your close contacts about the risk. COVID-19 contact tracing is vital to slow the virus spread. By telling your close contacts, you help them protect themselves and others.
Identifying Close Contacts
Close contacts are those you were near when you were likely infectious. This includes family, friends, coworkers, or anyone you were with in a small space. It’s usually 2 days before your symptoms began or your test was positive.
Methods of Notification
You can notify your close contacts in several ways. You can talk to them face-to-face, call them, or send a message. Or, you can use the Tell Your Contacts website to tell them without sharing your name.
It’s crucial to give your contacts all the details they need. This includes when you tested positive, your symptoms, and advice on testing, mask-wearing, and getting medical help if needed. This helps them take steps to protect themselves and stop the virus from spreading further.
Improve Ventilation and Hygiene
Keeping your home well-ventilated and clean is key to stopping COVID-19 from spreading. These steps help make your space safer for everyone.
Start by making your home’s air flow better. Open windows and doors to let fresh air in. You might also think about getting a portable air cleaner to clean the air more.
Good hand hygiene is vital too. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer when soap isn’t around. Always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze to stop germs from spreading.
Clean high-touch items often, like doorknobs, countertops, and light switches. This can lower the chance of getting COVID-19. Clean these things daily with products made to kill the virus.
Focus on COVID-19 ventilation, cleaning, and hand hygiene to protect yourself and others. Even small steps can help fight this pandemic.
“Improving ventilation and maintaining good hygiene are essential to creating a safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
What Happens if I Have COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID-19, reach out to your healthcare provider right away. They will guide you on what care you need and any treatment you might require. It’s key to focus on COVID-19 self-care and stop the spread of COVID-19 to others during your recovery.
Taking Care of Yourself at Home
While at home, rest a lot, drink plenty of water, and use over-the-counter meds to ease your symptoms. Keep an eye on how you feel, and get medical help fast if you notice signs like trouble breathing or ongoing chest pain or pressure.
Stopping the Spread to Others
To stop transmission of COVID-19, follow isolation guidelines closely. Stay indoors, keep away from family, wear a mask, and skip public spots until you’re out of isolation. These steps help shield your loved ones and fight the virus spread.
Dealing with COVID-19 is tough, but focusing on your health and preventing spread is key. By doing so, you care for yourself and others, making this journey easier for everyone.
“The most important thing is to take care of yourself and others by following the recommended guidelines for isolating at home during COVID-19.”
Returning to Usual Activities
As you get better from COVID-19, it’s time to start doing things you used to do. But, you need to be careful to keep safe and stop the virus from spreading.
When to Resume Normal Routines
You can go back to your normal life when your symptoms get better, you haven’t had a fever for 24 hours, and it’s been 5 days since your symptoms started or you tested positive. This helps clear the virus from your body and lowers the chance of spreading it to others.
Additional Precautions
Even if you’re ready to go back to your normal life, keep taking some extra steps for the next 5 days. These steps include:
- Wearing a high-quality, well-fitting mask when around others
- Maintaining a safe distance from individuals who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness
- Practicing good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing and proper respiratory etiquette
If your symptoms come back or get worse after you’ve started doing things you used to do, stay home. Get tested again and talk to your doctor. The way to COVID-19 recovery and resuming normal activities is slow and careful. It’s important to follow post-isolation precautions to keep yourself and others safe.
Testing and Diagnosis
Finding your way through COVID-19 testing can feel overwhelming. It’s key to know the types of tests and how to understand the results. There are two main types: NAATs, like PCR tests, and antigen tests.
Types of COVID-19 Tests
NAATs, including PCR tests, are top choices for finding COVID-19. They look for the virus’s genetic material and can spot an infection early, even before symptoms start. Antigen tests, however, give quick results in 15 minutes but might not be as accurate, especially for those without symptoms.
Choosing between NAAT and antigen tests depends on the situation. NAATs are best for those with symptoms or who’ve been exposed. Antigen tests work well for quick checks or spotting possible infections.
Interpreting Test Results
Understanding COVID-19 test results is key to making smart choices. A positive test means you’re infected and should isolate and tell those close to you. But a negative test doesn’t always mean you’re clear of the virus, especially if you’re showing symptoms or have been exposed. In these cases, you might need another test or talk to a doctor to be sure.
Knowing how COVID-19 tests work and what the results mean helps you make good decisions. It also helps you protect yourself and others.
“Accurate and timely COVID-19 testing is crucial for controlling the spread of the virus and ensuring the health and safety of our communities.”
Conclusion
Getting through a COVID-19 diagnosis is tough, but there are steps you can take to stay safe. Seek medical help, watch your symptoms, stay away from others, wear masks, and tell those close to you. This way, you and your community stay safe.
It’s key to keep up with health advice to manage COVID-19 recovery, COVID-19 prevention, and COVID-19 guidance. These actions reduce the virus’s effects and help everyone’s health.
As we face this ongoing issue, staying alert, caring, and flexible is vital. By supporting each other, we can beat COVID-19 and come out stronger and united.