Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Recognizing the symptoms
• Part 2 of 4: Getting medical care
• Part 3 of 4: Taking care of yourself when you are sick
• Part 4 of 4: Avoid getting infected

The new coronavirus (COVID-19) has now spread all over the world, and if you suffer from flu-like symptoms or even respiratory problems, you may be concerned that it is COVID-19. Chances are it is a common respiratory infection, such as a cold or flu, but it is still important that you take the symptoms seriously and see your doctor just to be sure. If you are sick, your doctor will help you by making sure you get the treatment you need.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Recognizing the symptoms

1. Notice if you are coughing up phlegm or having a dry cough. Although COVID-19 is a respiratory infection, it does not cause the same symptoms as a cold or the flu. Coughing is a common symptom both with and without mucus. Call your doctor if you have a cough and think you may have COVID-19.
   • You are more likely to have COVID-19 if there is an outbreak in your area, if you have been in contact with someone who is infected, or if you have recently been in a place where many people were infected.
   • If you have to cough, cover your mouth with a tissue or your sleeve so you don't infect others. You can also wear a (medical) mouth mask that can collect the droplets with which you could infect other people.
   • As long as you are sick, stay away from people who are at risk for infection and potential complications, such as people over 65, babies, children, pregnant women and people taking medications that affect their immune systems.
2. Take your temperature to determine if you have a fever. When you have COVID-19, you usually get a fever. Take your temperature with a thermometer to see if it reads 38 degrees or more, which means you have a fever. If you do start to get a fever, always call your doctor before going to a clinic or hospital. Get the medical help you need, and most importantly, stay at home.
   • If you have a fever, chances are the illness you have is contagious. Protect others by staying at home.
   • Keep in mind that a fever is a symptom of many different illnesses, so it doesn't necessarily mean you have COVID-19.
3. Always go to the emergency room if you have difficulty breathing. If you have breathing problems, always go to the doctor, an emergency clinic or the hospital emergency department right away, as breathing problems are always a serious symptom. You may have a serious illness, whether it is COVID-19 or not. Shortness of breath is also a common symptom, although less serious, which you should always report to the doctor.
   • According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this new form of the coronavirus can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia. Contact your doctor immediately if you have breathing problems, or just to be sure.

   Warning: People with reduced immunity or underlying health problems, such as cancer, heart problems or diabetes, are more prone to potentially fatal complications if they become infected with the corona virus. Babies and the elderly are also at increased risk of developing complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia. If you or someone you care for is in a high-risk group, take extra care and make sure that you and the person you are caring for are not exposed to contaminated people or animals.

   
   
4. Watch for less common symptoms of COVID-19. While fever, cough, and fatigue are the most common symptoms, some people experience other things as well. A sore throat, headache, loss of taste or smell, aches and pains, diarrhea, conjunctivitis (pink eye), a rash or discoloration of your toes and fingers may indicate that you have COVID-19. Chills, runny nose, constipation, and vomiting are also symptoms of the virus.
   • Understandably, you should be concerned, but always remember that if you don't have a fever, you don't have to cough, and you are not short of breath, you should always remember that you are not likely to have COVID-19.

   Tip: If you are young and healthy, you may have mild symptoms if you are infected with the coronavirus. If you have recently been abroad or have been in contact with someone who has or has had COVID-19, call your doctor if you have breathing problems to find out if you should be tested. In the meantime, stay home to avoid infecting other people.

   
   

Part 2 of 4: Getting medical care

1. Call your doctor right away if you think you have COVID-19 aka coronavirus. Always take your symptoms seriously if you think you may be ill, as coronavirus infection can be life-threatening. Call the doctor and ask if he or she thinks you should get tested for the corona virus. Tell the doctor exactly what symptoms you have and whether you have recently been abroad or have been in contact with someone who could be infected. Depending on what your doctor recommends, get tested, or stay at home and keep an eye on your symptoms.
   • Before you go to the office, tell the operator or assistant that you think you may be infected with the coronavirus. That way, they can take precautions to avoid infecting other patients or staff with the virus.
   EXPERT TIP

   Have the doctor test you for infection with the corona virus. If he or she thinks you could be infected or that you may have indeed contracted COVID-19, chances are you will need to be quarantined during the test in the practice or hospital.To test you for the coronavirus, the doctor will then take a swab of the mucus from your nose or throat, or take blood on you, or refer you to a location where tests will be taken.

   • Depending on the situation, your doctor may say you can quarantine at home. In order to prevent you from infecting other patients with the coronavirus, the chances are that you will only have to be quarantined at the place where you are being tested, to prevent that you could infect other patients with the virus.
2. Carefully follow the doctor's instructions on how to take care of yourself at home. There is no specific treatment for the coronavirus yet. It is a viral infection and therefore you cannot treat the disease with antibiotics. Even if the result of the test is positive, and it turns out that you are indeed infected with the coronavirus, the doctor will probably still send you home, unless you have severe symptoms that require hospitalization. Ask your doctor how best to take care of yourself at home and how to avoid spreading the disease to others.
   • Your doctor can prescribe or recommend medication to treat the symptoms. There are no drugs yet that can kill or cure the virus itself, so all you can do is take care of yourself and relax while your body fights the virus.
   • Ask your doctor what to expect and when you should come back for further treatment (for example, if your symptoms get worse or if you experience new symptoms).
3. Always seek emergency care if you feel short of breath or suffer from serious lung problems. Although some cases of the coronavirus are very mild, COVID-19 can also cause very serious breathing problems such as breathlessness or shortness of breath. Such symptoms are always an emergency, even if they are not caused by the coronavirus or COVID-19. Go to the Emergency or Emergency Department or seek help in another way if you or someone you know has one or more of the following symptoms:
   • Difficulty breathing or severe shortness of breath
   • Bluish lips or a bluish face
   • Pain in or pressure in your chest
   • Increased confusion or difficulty standing up

Part 3 of 4: Taking care of yourself when you are sick

1. Stay at home until the doctor says you are virus-free. Staying at home helps prevent infecting others with the virus. In addition, it is very important that you get plenty of rest to ensure that your body can fight the infection and recover. Stay home from work or school as long as you are infected and do not make too much effort and around the house. Try to sleep as much as possible.
   • Ask your doctor when you can resume your normal activities. Even after your complaints have disappeared, the doctor may recommend that you wait another two weeks or more.

   Tip: If you live with someone, try to isolate yourself in a separate room at home as much as possible. If you have more than one bathroom at home, use a different bathroom than the rest of your roommates. That way, you can help prevent infecting the rest of the family or your roommates with the virus.

   
   
2. Take drugs from the drug store to relieve the pain and fever. If you suffer from pain in your muscles or joints, headache or fever, you can try to reduce the symptoms with medicines such as acetaminophen (available under the brand name Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). If you are 18 or older you can also use aspirin for pain and / or fever.
   • Never give aspirin to children or teenagers under the age of 18. In people under 18, aspirin can cause a fatal condition known as Reye's syndrome.
   • Always follow the dosage instructions on the package insert, or take the medication as directed by your doctor or pharmacist. Before taking any medication, always let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

   Tip: You may have read that anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can make COVID-19 worse. However, there are no results from medical studies to support this. If you are unsure whether you can take a particular medicine, first ask your doctor whether it is safe for you or not.

3. Use a humidifier for coughing. A humidifier can have a soothing effect on your throat, lungs and nasal passages, reducing coughing. It can also help thin stuck mucus to make it easier to cough up. Therefore, place a humidifier next to your bed, and possibly place one more in the room where you usually are during the day.
   • Also, taking a hot shower or sitting in the bathroom with the hot shower faucet open can provide relief and help loosen the mucus in your lungs and sinuses.
4. Drink a lot. When you are sick your body can easily dry out. Therefore, while recovering from a coronavirus infection, make sure you get enough fluids by continuing to take small sips of water, fruit juice, or other clear liquids. That way you prevent your body from drying out and that stuck mucus is released more easily.
   • Hot drinks, such as broth, tea, or warm water with lemon, in particular can be calming if you have a cough or a sore throat.
5. Keep isolating yourself until the doctor says you can go outside. It is extremely important that you stay at home until you are no longer contagious so that you cannot transmit the virus to others. The doctor will let you know when you can safely resume your daily activities. Consult your doctor before going outside, even if you feel that you are getting better.
   • Your doctor may want to test you again to see if you might still be infected with the virus.
   • If no tests are available, you may be allowed to leave your home after you have had no symptoms for at least 72 hours.

Part 4 of 4: Avoid getting infected

1. Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated if a vaccine is available for you. Several vaccines have been approved for use. Whether you qualify for the vaccine depends on how old you are, whether you work in healthcare, and whether you have an underlying condition. Healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities, essential professions and those with higher risk medical conditions receive the vaccine first.
   • Four vaccines have been approved for use in the EU, namely Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen.
   • You are unlikely to be able to choose which vaccine to get when you make an appointment, as supplies are limited. However, each vaccine has shown excellent protection against COVID-19 in studies and significantly reduces your chances of serious illness and hospitalization.
2. Stay at home as much as possible to do social distancing. You've probably heard the term "social distancing" and the term "one and a half meter society" before. It means that you should limit the contact you have with other people as much as possible. That way, you can help prevent the virus from spreading near you. Only leave home when it is necessary, that is, to run errands or when you have to work. If possible, talk to your school or employer to see if you can work or study from home for the time being.
   • If you do want to get together with your friends or family, limit the gathering to a maximum of ten people and keep at least five feet away between the guests.
3. Wear a mask and keep at least 5 feet away from other people in public areas. If you need to go to the grocery store, do other shopping, or otherwise leave your home, take steps to protect yourself and others. Put a face mask over your nose, mouth and chin. Also, do your best to stay 5 feet away from anyone who does not live in your household.
4. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. Washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and other diseases. Wash your hands with warm water and soap several times during the day, and especially after touching surfaces that are exposed to many people (such as the doorknobs on public restrooms or the railings on trains and buses), or after coming into contact with potentially infected people or animals. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds and don't forget to include the spaces between your fingers.
   • To make sure you wash your hands long enough, sing the song "Happy Birthday" while you wash.
   • If you can't use soap and water, use hand sanitizer.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Viruses that affect the respiratory tract, such as those in the family of coronaviruses, enter your body through the mucous membranes in your eyes, nose, and mouth. You can protect yourself by keeping your hands away from your face, especially if you haven't washed them briefly.
6. Clean and disinfect all objects and surfaces that have been touched by someone who is ill. If you or a roommate of yours is infected with some form of the coronavirus, make sure that the virus does not spread further by thoroughly cleaning everything the infected person has touched. Mix 250 ml of bleach with 3.5 liters of warm water, or use a disinfectant wipe or disinfectant spray to keep things clean. Keep the surface wet for about 10 minutes to allow the disinfectant to work effectively.
   • If one of your roommates is sick, wash all the dishes with hot water and washing-up liquid as soon as possible. Also wash any bedding that could be contaminated, such as sheets and pillowcases, in hot water.
7. Try to stay away from people who are infected as much as possible. The coronavirus is transmitted through the droplets that come from someone who is infected. You can breathe in those droplets very easily if someone who is sick, for example, has to cough. If you see someone coughing or telling you that he or she has been ill, distance yourself from that person in a kind but respectful way. Then try to avoid the following ways of contamination:
   • Having intimate contact with someone who is infected, such as hugging, kissing, shaking hands or sitting very close to them for a long time (such as on the bus or plane).
   • Sharing cups, utensils or personal items with someone who is infected
   • Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching someone who has been infected
   • Having contact with contaminated stools (for example, if you change the diaper of an infected baby or toddler)
8. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. People with coronavirus spread it by coughing and sneezing. If you have COVID-19, you can protect other people by using a tissue, handkerchief, or face mask to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
   • Immediately dispose of used tissues, then wash your hands in warm soap and water.
   • If you are surprised by a coughing or sneezing fit or if you do not have a tissue paper handy, cover your nose and mouth with the bend of your elbow instead of your hand. This way, you are less likely to spread the virus when you touch things.
9. Be extra careful around animals. The likelihood that animals could transmit the coronavirus to humans still seems small, but it is still a possibility, and there have been a few known cases of animals becoming infected with the virus through contact with humans. Therefore, if you have had contact with any kind of animals, including pets, always wash your hands very well.
   • In particular, try to avoid contact with animals that are clearly ill.
10. Cook meat and other animal products well. You can become infected with the coronavirus or get other illnesses by eating contaminated or undercooked meat or by drinking contaminated milk. Avoid eating raw or unpasteurized animal foods and always wash your hands and any surfaces or utensils that have come into contact with raw or untreated meat or milk.
11. Pay attention to travel advice if you plan to go abroad. Since the coronavirus has hit more and more countries around the world, all unnecessary travel is discouraged. If you plan to travel abroad, check the travel website of the country in question to find out if the coronavirus is or is still active in the area you plan to visit. You can also consult the website of the RIVM or the World Health Organization for information. On the websites of these organizations you can find information on how to protect yourself during your trip.