More people are showing symptoms of COVID-19 as community-based transmission has been confirmed in the country. While the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions are more vulnerable than the rest of the population, the virus doesn’t exempt anyone.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), you will be considered as a person under investigation (PUI) if you have a history of travel in the past 14 days to countries with local transmission, exposure to a confirmed case or been experiencing flu-like or respiratory illness symptoms. If you have all three or any of the following, you will most likely be tested for COVID-19. Here’s what to do if you’re told to go home while waiting for the results.
Isolate yourself
Stay in a room without any members of your household and try to minimize face-to-face interactions. As much as possible, use separate utensils and personal hygiene items.
Even if your symptoms are mild, avoid going to public areas such as your place of work or school, churches, grocery stores and hospitals where many people are more vulnerable to the disease. Leave the essential tasks to other members of your household.
Monitor your condition on the daily
While on home quarantine, focus on boosting your immune system. Rest, eat healthy food and drink plenty of fluids. If your health care provider has given you medications, make sure to take them on time. You also have to check your body temperature at least twice a day. If your symptoms get worse, contact your health care provider immediately.
Disinfect your home regularly
If you’re using common rooms at home, remind the members of your household to clean them frequently. Disinfect high-touch surfaces such as door knobs, faucets, toilets and electronic devices like phones, tablets and laptops. They can use a regular disinfectant or diluted bleach solutions when cleaning.
For your clothes and other personal care items such as towels and pillows, wash them thoroughly with hot water and soap. Make sure to wear disposable gloves. Lastly, ensure good ventilation at home.
But whether or not you’ve been tested for COVID-19, as long as you’re experiencing symptoms of the disease, do not step out of the house, follow your health care provider’s directives and practice proper self-monitoring and social distancing—not only to avoid the spread of the disease but also to avoid facing a string of charges for breaching quarantine protocols.
Header photo courtesy of CDC on Unsplash
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