I have COVID-19: the 5 keys to understanding how to treat the disease at home

Tiredness and fatigue may be among the symptoms of COVID-19 (Getty Images)

Your partner gets a dry cough and says he has a fever. Or a co-worker begins to feel achy, tired, and short of breath after discovering that a co-worker has tested positive for COVID-19. With the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and its rapid spread around the world, the risk of contracting the coronavirus today is high. Some infected people may develop severe symptoms, and many have mild symptoms. Experts in infectious science today recommend that it should be considered a disease and should not be underestimated.

On Tuesday, January 11th, the World Health Organization warned that global risks related to Omicron remain too high. First, the global risk of COVID-19 remains very high overall. Second, the current data indicate that micron has a significant growth advantage over the delta variant, which leads to rapid community diffusion. The rapid increase in cases will lead to an increase in the number of hospitalizations, the UN health agency said, and could place enormous demands on health care systems and cause significant morbidity, particularly in vulnerable populations.

Today, if a person is confirmed to have COVID-19 via a test or an epidemiological link, they should be kept isolated at home. You should also reduce the possibility of people in your immediate environment getting infected. The coronavirus mainly spreads when infected people come into close contact with others.

If a person has COVID-19 and co-exists, they should self-isolate indoors and keep windows open / Getty / Archive
If a person has COVID-19 and co-exists, they should self-isolate indoors and keep windows open / Getty / Archive

The coronavirus is transmitted by close contact with an already infected person indoors and outdoors. It is also transmitted from infected people and can be suspended in the air, especially in poorly ventilated places. People who breathe in droplets or sprays without showing symptoms can become infected. A home where people spend several hours each day together is a good place for infection to occur. But it is not inevitable, and there are steps that can be taken to avoid it.

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Here are five recommendations on how to treat COVID-19 if the person is diagnosed and at home:

1- Isolate yourself inside the house if you live with other people

With high scalability of Omicron, Experts agree that it is best for a person with COVID-19 symptoms or positive tests for the virus to self-isolate as soon as possible. “Right now, we’re seeing a lot of infection in homes, where one sick person is infecting other people who live with them,” said Dr. James Merlino, director of clinical transformation at the Cleveland Clinic in the US.

A study backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that it is common for coronavirus to spread between people at home, often soon after a person starts feeling sick. To avoid this, it is preferable to stay in a separate room and it is preferable to use a separate bathroom as well. On the other hand, if you live indoors and cannot follow these tips, you should produce the most air circulation Possible in the house by opening the windows permanently.

Anyone with mild COVID-19 can contact a healthcare professional via video call or by phone.  You should wear a chin strap if you live with other people (Getty Images)
Anyone with mild COVID-19 can contact a healthcare professional via video call or by phone. You should wear a chin strap if you live with other people (Getty Images)

2) Wear a mask or chin strap

like he said Infobae Dr. Javier Farina, from the Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases, “In addition to cross ventilation, a chin strap should also be used if a person has COVID-19 and lives with other people. They should minimize contact within the home.” The chin strap should be used correctly: it should be placed from the nose to the chin. If it doesn’t, people can spread the coronavirus to others. Or people close to you can breathe it in and pick it up.

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3) Call the doctor and rest

The first step It is to ensure that a person who is sick with COVID-19 is in contact with a health professional to report it to the health system. You also need rest and maybe some help from other people to be able to stay isolated. But they should take into account that they should have as little contact as possible.

“Everyone with COVID-19 can get telephone monitoring today with a health professional. If symptoms of infection do not increase, daily monitoring is not necessary. In this context today, you can have an oximeter at home, especially when there are people with risk factors,” said Dr. Farina.

A pulse oximeter is a small device. It is placed on the finger and within a few seconds lights are turned on with numbers indicating the body’s oxygen level and heart rate. The oxygen reading in most healthy people is between 95 and 98 percent. Some people with pre-existing conditions may have a lower normal reading. Call your doctor if the number drops below 92 percent.

If a person with COVID-19 begins to show signs of shortness of breath, persistent chest pain, confusion, difficulty getting up or staying awake, or blue lips or face, they should seek immediate medical attention.

Having a thermometer on hand is one of the advice doctors / MARTIN-DM / Archive
Having a thermometer on hand is one of the advice doctors / MARTIN-DM / Archive

4) Have a thermometer handy

A person with COVID-19 should have a thermometer on hand to monitor temperature and detect fever. A person may also need medications such as pain relievers and fever reducers that must be prescribed by a health professional. It is important that the patient drinks plenty of fluids and rests.

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5) Be in virtual contact with others

The feeling of physical isolation due to COVID-19 can be lonely and boring. “Supporting people’s emotional state is really important,” Dr. Merlino stressed. He suggested making video calls with the rest of the family from another area of ​​the house or taking handwritten notes under the person’s bedroom door each day to stay in touch.

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