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By now, just about everyone in Australia will have known someone who has either contracted or
been affected by COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. The super transmissible strain shows no signs
of slowing down, with tens of thousands of new infections being recorded across the country
every day. The likelihood of contracting the virus during Australia's current wave is high,
according to our health experts, but how do we go about caring for ourselves when do?
As we know, symptoms can range from barely detectable, to like a bad flu or in worst can
scenarios, they might require hospitalisation and even ventilation. If you're treating your
illness at home, we've put together a list of answers to some commonly asked questions.
If you test positive for COVID-19, it's too late for you to go to the supermarket or
chemist for supplies.
It's a good idea to have a kit at home with a few things you may need to treat the
illness.
Things like paracetamol, ibuprofen, lozenges, cough syrup, and rapid tests (if you can
get them) are good to have, just in case.
It's also important to have at least two weeks' worth of any unrelated medication you
may need, and books, puzzles, or other activities to keep you occupied if you need to
isolate.
To start, you should determine why you think you may have contracted the disease. If you
are a close contact of a confirmed positive case and you do have symptoms, you should
get tested as soon as possible and isolate for seven days.
If you are a close contact but are showing no symptoms, you should isolate for a full 7
days from the date of contact with positive case and monitor your symptoms
This information is subject to change and is based on the latest advice from the WA
Department of Health Testing and Isolation Guide.
Most people will have mild COVID-19 symptoms for up to 2 weeks.
Anyone with conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity or diabetes need to pay
close attention as may develop more severe illness.
If you experience worsening symptoms, you should call your GP as soon as possible, these
include:
mild shortness of breath when moving around or coughing
coughing up mucous regularly
severe muscle aches
feeling very weak and tired, but still able to move about
little or no urination
vomiting or diarrhoea
a temperature 38 degrees Celsius or higher
shakes or shivers
You should call 000 and let the operator know you have COVID-19 so that the paramedics can treat you safely if you experience any of the following:
severe shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
becoming short of breath even when resting and not moving around
becoming breathless when talking or finding it hard to finish sentences
breathing gets worse very suddenly
chest pain or discomfort
coughing up blood
lips or face turning blue
skin cold, clammy, pale or mottled
severe headaches or dizziness
fainting or feeling like fainting often
unable to get out of bed or look after self or others
confusion (for example, can’t recall the day, time or people’s names)
finding it difficult to keep eyes open
COVID-19 symptoms can appear anywhere from between one to 14 days after the
infection date. According to most reports out of Australia, people are most
likely to experience symptoms from between three to five days after the initial
infection.
There is no specific end date for when symptoms will stop showing, however for
the majority of heathy people who have contracted the virus, in two weeks they
will have returned to normal.
Long COVID - where symptoms persist beyond four weeks - may require additional
treatment. Further information on long COVID can be found here.
Much like treating the common cold of flu, mild symptoms of COVID-19 can be
managed in a similar way at home.
Regular doses of paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used to relieve pain and lower
fevers. Lozenges can be used to sooth symptoms of a sore throat, as well as
products containing electrolytes, and regular intake of fluids to keep the body
hydrated.
Other methods such as breathing in steam using a vaporiser and applying a damp
cloth to the forehead may also relieve some discomfort.
