Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others circulating among animals. Rarely corona viruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people. Previous coronavirus outbreaks have included severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). COVID-19 is the disease caused by a novel coronavirus.
All hospitals, clinics and physician offices have protocols and systems in place to keep all patients, visitors and healthcare workers safe.
If your start to feel ill, try not to panic. The majority of people, who get COVID-19, experience minor symptoms and recover completely.
First, call your doctor or contact McLeod Telehealth.
After discussing your symptoms, the doctor may determine that you do not need to be tested for COVID-19. At this point, the doctor will advise you how to treat your symptoms from home, including what medications to take to reduce your fever and other flu symptoms. Staying at home helps prevent you from exposing other people to the disease.
For more serious cases, calling the doctor in advance will allow the urgent or emergent care team to prepare for your arrival at the hospital with tools, such as masks, alternative entryways into the hospital and rooms with controlled air flow.
Not everyone who is sick needs to be tested.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends that you should call your doctor IF:
If you are only experiencing mild symptoms and have not been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or traveled to one of the countries where infection has spread, you may not need to be tested.
Call your doctor.
Although there is still much to learn about COVID-19, it appears to spread like other respiratory viruses — by people with the infection coughing or sneezing. These droplets are inhaled by other people or moved to the eyes, nose or mouth by contaminated hands.
The most important steps to take are the same as for every cold and flu season:
People at higher risk of severe illness should stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible, including public places with lots of people and large gatherings, where you will be in close contact with others.
People at higher risk include: