Know the Signs and Symptoms

The most common COVID-19 symptoms are:

1. Fever
2. Tiredness/Fatigue
3. Dry cough

Some patients may have:

1. Body aches
2. Nasal congestion
3. Runny nose
4. Sore throat
5. Diarrhea

Only around 1 in 6 patients will experience difficulty in breathing and become seriously ill. Some having asymptomatic cases report losing their sense of smell and/or taste.

Patients usually have mild symptoms and recover without needing any special COVID-19 treatment.

Prevent Transmission

How is COVID-19 transmitted?

COVID-19 spreads primarily from one person to another. To protect yourself and others from catching this virus, make sure to follow these six coronavirus prevention measures:

1. Clean your hands frequently.
2. Cough or sneeze using a tissue or a bent elbow, not with your hands.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
4. Avoid attending social gatherings and spending time in crowded places.
5. Limit your close contact with other people, especially if he/she is showing symptoms.
6. Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces at home.

Protect Vulnerable and High-Risk Individuals

1. Practice tried-and-tested COVID-19 prevention guidelines, such as regular hand washing and respiratory hygiene.
2. If you have symptoms, avoid direct contact with people, especially the most vulnerable or those at higher risk of severe infection.
3. Look out for one another by keeping your communication lines open.
4. Run errands to help them stock up on their regular medications and food supplies.
5. Avoid entering their home and keep a distance of at least one meter.
6. Postpone face-to-face social gatherings. Simply make it virtual or over the phone!

Make Your House Virus-Proof

As of this writing, the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infected people worldwide is still rising. At home, you can help reduce your risk by keeping it clean and doing your part to protect your household. Staying inside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can be challenging. To keep yourself protected, consider these tips:

1. Immediately wash your hands and feet the moment you get home
   Make sure to thoroughly clean your hands and feet with warm water and antibacterial soap to prevent the risk of bringing the bacteria inside your home.
2. Cut your fingernail
   Trim your nails as short as possible to prevent bacteria and germs from getting into your body.
3. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze at home
   Use a clean towel/tissue or a flexed elbow to prevent the bacteria from scattering all over the place.
4. Do proper waste disposal
   Throw the waste you used outside your home like tissues, face masks, and disposable gloves in a separate trash bin. Make sure to secure it by tying it very tightly.
5. Properly disinfect objects/surfaces you always touch
   Use 70% alcohol or bleach solution when disinfecting them.

Some of the most used/touched objects at home are as follows:

• Doorknobs
• Countertops
• Toilet flushers
• Refrigerator handles
• Laptops/Tablets
• Electronic switches
• Eyeglasses
• Skincare products

To protect ourselves from COVID-19, we must maintain our surroundings clean and disinfected at all times. Here’s a simple guide on how to make our living spaces virus-proof:

Living Room

1. Leave your footwear outside.
2. Use air filters or open the windows once a day.

Kitchen

1. Clean your sponge and sink after each use.
2. Use a different chopping board and knife for raw meats.
3. Sterilize the utensils and other kitchen tools you frequently use.
4. Avoid eating with your hands.

Bathroom

1. Change towels every three days.
2. Close the toilet lid before flushing.

Bedroom

1. Change bed sheets at least once a week.
2. Don’t leave used clothes around the room.

What Should You Do If You Think You Have COVID-19?

It is possible that you have had coronavirus and been asymptomatic. If you think you may have been infected and shedding the virus, it is best to take the following steps:

1. Stay at home and call a health care provider
   If you are symptomatic or you feel like you need medical care, call a doctor or health care facility. Describe your symptoms over the phone.
2. Answer questions to determine your risk
   You will be asked about your risks of getting COVID-19. Risk factors include recent travel to certain countries or exposure to an infected person.
3. Follow your health care provider’s instructions
   Being truthful with your answer is crucial at this point as your care provider will give instructions based on your answers.
4. Practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
   
   1. Wash your hands properly after sneezing, blowing your nose, coughing, using the bathroom, and before preparing or eating food.
   2. Cover your mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when sneezing or coughing.
   3. Clean frequently touched surfaces, such as doors, doorknobs, cabinet handles, bathroom hardware, tabletops, phones, tablets, and keyboards with disinfectant as often as possible.
5. Stay calm
   Doctors, nurses and other caregivers are learning more about COVID-19 every day. Healthcare workers are teaming up with national and international agencies to identify and provide care to patients while preventing the spread of the illness in the community. They are also working double-time in coming up with effective coronavirus cure and vaccine. So stay calm.

How To Properly Disinfect Everything At Home

Hard Surfaces

1. Always wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
2. When using reusable gloves, dedicate their use to disinfecting surfaces for COVID-19 and not for other purposes.
3. If surfaces are dirty, clean them with detergent and water before using disinfectants.
4. Prepare a bleach solution by diluting five tablespoons (one-third cup) of bleach in one gallon of water and use this as a disinfectant.

Soft Surfaces
Properly clean soft surfaces such as rugs, carpets, and drapes with the appropriate cleaners. They must be washed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Electronics
Immediately remove any visible contamination from gadgets and electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, remote controls, and keyboards.

1. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfecting.
2. Use wipeable covers for electronic devices.
3. For touch screens, use wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol. Then dry thoroughly using clean towels or tissues.

Clothes, linens, and other things that go in the laundry
Wear disposable gloves even when doing the laundry, especially if they’re from an infected person. Clean your hands immediately after removing the disposable gloves.

1. If both disposable and reusable gloves are not available, make sure to wash your hands properly after doing the laundry.
2. Do not shake off your dirty laundry to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through the air.
3. Wash your clothes by following the instructions by the manufacturer. Use warm water and dry the items completely.
4. Clean and disinfect laundry hampers after each use.

Coping With Stress During Coronavirus Outbreak

1. Keep constant communication with your loved ones.
2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Practice proper diet, enough sleep, and exercise.
3. Avoid smoking, drinking, or engaging in any unhealthy habits to cope with stress. If you feel overwhelmed, consult a health worker right away.
4. Get information from reliable sources.
5. Take a break from listening or watching news that might stress you out.
6. If you feel overwhelmed, consult a health worker right away.

Help Children Cope with Stress During Coronavirus Outbreak

1. Listen to the concerns of your children. Give and show them emotional and verbal support.
2. Keep your children close to you at all times. If separation is inevitable, ensure regular communication.
3. When talking with children during infectious disease outbreaks, allow them to ask questions. Then give them facts and information they can easily comprehend.