The dreaded COVID-19 is spread mainly from person-to-person contact and the best way to prevent it from reaching you is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Observing various precautions and hygienic practices had been taken by the public since the outbreak started.
But with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country continuously rising over the past few days, another vital course of action is to determine if you are a potential carrier of the virus already. Not only will you help in reducing its spread to other people by doing so, but you also allow yourself to immediately seek the next step in fighting the virus whose cure is still yet to be discovered.
Who are close contacts?
There are three main categories of people considered to be close contracts of COVID-19 patients, and that includes those who directly interact with them by providing care without using proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
The basic PPE to be worn around COVID-19 patients are face masks, especially when entering and staying in the same room. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also points out that disposable gloves must be used “when you touch or have contact with the patient’s blood, stool, or body fluids, such as saliva, sputum, nasal mucus, vomit, urine.”
[READ: How to virus-proof every room in your house]
People staying in the same close environment of a COVID-19 patient within the past 14-day quarantine period are also considered as close contacts. These shared spaces include the workplace, classroom, household and more which allow them to be in contact within a distance of about six feet from the patient.
Those who traveled together in close proximity—one meter or less—with a COVID-19 patient in any mode of transportation within the quarantine period are also considered as close contacts.
What they should do
If you identify with any of those descriptions mentioned, the most important thing to do is to cooperate in contact training activities.
The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with local authorities, will directly communicate with those identified as close contacts to confirmed COVID-19 patients.
[READ: How to keep yourself virus-free on commutes]
Those found to be close contacts or patients under investigation shall be referred to level two and three hospitals for testing.
In addition to basic facilities and materials to treat patients who need minor care and supervision, level two hospitals have facilities like the Intensive Care Unit and personnel like specialist doctors in order to accommodate critically ill patients. Meanwhile, level three hospitals are those which can offer higher-level care and treatments such as dialysis.
As a reference, Philhealth has a list of accredited level two and three hospitals in all regions in the Philippines updated as of October 31, 2019.
If you’ve visited places where confirmed COVID-19 patients frequented, don’t panic. You’re not required to seek medical consultation and undergo laboratory testing for the coronavirus. You can start by monitoring yourself, and should you notice symptoms of the disease, consult health centers or rural health units for appropriate management and monitoring.
Header photo courtesy of Inquirer.net
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