Symptoms of COVID-19
Those who are infected with COVID-19 may have little to no symptoms. You may not know you have symptoms of COVID-19 because they are similar to a cold or flu.
Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19. This is the longest known infectious period for this disease. We are currently investigating if the virus can be transmitted to others if someone is not showing symptoms. While experts believe that it is possible, it is considered less common.
Symptoms have included:
- fever
- cough
- difficulty breathing
- pneumonia in both lungs
In severe cases, infection can lead to death.
If you become ill
If you are showing symptoms of COVID-19, reduce your contact with others:
- isolate yourself at home for 14 days to avoid spreading it to others
- if you live with others, stay in a separate room or keep a 2-metre distance
- visit a health care professional or call your local public health authority
- call ahead to tell them your symptoms and follow their instructions
If you become sick while travelling back to Canada:
- inform the flight attendant or a Canadian border services officer
- advise a Canada border services agent on arrival in Canada if you believe you were exposed to someone who was sick with COVID-19, even if you do not have symptoms
- this is required under the Quarantine Act
- the Canada border services agent will provide instructions for you to follow
Diagnosing coronavirus
Coronavirus infections are diagnosed by a health care provider based on symptoms and are confirmed through laboratory tests.
Treating coronavirus
Most people with mild coronavirus illness will recover on their own.
If you are concerned about your symptoms, you should self-monitor and consult your health care provider. They may recommend steps you can take to relieve symptoms.
Vaccine
At this time, there is no vaccine for COVID-19 or any natural health products that are authorized to treat or protect against COVID-19.
If you have received a flu vaccine, it will not protect against coronaviruses.
About coronaviruses
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people and others cause illness in animals. Human coronaviruses are common and are typically associated with mild illnesses, similar to the common cold.
COVID-19 is a new disease that has not been previously identified in humans. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people, and more rarely, these can then spread from person to person through close contact.
There have been 2 other specific coronaviruses that have spread from animals to humans and which have caused severe illness in humans. These are the:
- severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV)
- Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV)
1. Wash your hands
When you get sick, you harbour many nasty germs and disease-causing pathogens on your hands. Fingernails and the skin between your fingers are ideal hiding places for all manner of nasties.
Always wash your hands after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, coughing, gardening, touching animals, and before eating. Use soap and water, and perfect your technique. Be thorough when you lather your hands. Don’t forget between the fingers and under the nails. Scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse and dry.
Washing your hands vs hand sanitizers
According to experts, hand sanitizers are not able to get rid of stomach bug norovirus and the bacteria causing the C. difficile infection. On the contrary, handwashing not only actually kills the germs but it also removes dirt and grime which can make you sick. So, make it a point to only use hand sanitizer when you cannot get your hands to a clean water supply and soap. However, at the same time, it is important to wash your hands properly to get rid of all the pathogens. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you should wash your hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of infections.
The proper handwashing technique
1. Wet your hands with clean, running water. Use your elbow to turn off the tap as touching it with your hands may increase the risk of contamination.
2. Lather up your hands and fingers with soap.
3. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
4. It is important to rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, as it creates friction which helps in getting rid of dirt, grease, and microbes from skin.
6. After you are done scrubbing, wash your hands with clean, running water.
7 Dry your hands using a single-use clean towel or air-dry them.
2.Don’t touch your face with dirty hands
Viruses can enter your body through your eyes, nose, mouth and other orifices. Putting dirty, contaminated hands on your face can lead to an infection. Don’t give these germs the opportunity, wash your hands before you touch your eyes, nose and mouth. You may also want to wash them before you use the bathroom, and afterward, of course.
3. Avoid close contact with people who are sick
If it’s obvious that someone has an infection, help yourself to remain healthy by avoiding close contact that can spread viruses. Ditch the hugs, kisses, and handshakes. If someone is coughing and sneezing, move away and explain that you don’t want to get sick.
Likewise, if you’re feeling under the weather, you should stay at home and keep your friends and colleagues safe from whatever lurgy you’ve got.
4. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
When you cough and sneeze, minuscule droplets, filled with thousands of viruses and bacteria, leave your body at around 100 miles an hour. They can land on surfaces, other people, and even stay suspended in the air for long periods. As you can imagine, this is an effective way of spreading infections.
Try to cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow if at all possible to help prevent droplets from being released into the atmosphere. If you are unable to do this, use a tissue to cover your mouth, but using your hand also works if there is no alternative. If you use a tissue, always throw it in the rubbish or flush it down the toilet immediately and don’t forget to wash your hands afterwards.
5. Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces
Use bleach or disinfectant to wipe down kitchen and bathroom surfaces, the telephone, door handles, and kids’ toys. Once you realise how easily sneezes spread germs, you can see the importance of this step. Try to keep the bathroom and kitchen particularly
6. Boost your immune system
Your best defence against any infection is an active and healthy immune system. Make the following part of your routine:
🍎 Exercise: make sure that your immune system gets a boost by taking regular exercise. Aim for 30 to 40 minutes, three or four times a week.
🍎 Eat well: the foods you eat and what you drink are essential factors for immune function. Try to limit alcohol consumption to a moderate level to avoid vitamin deficiencies and lowered immunity.
🍎 Drink up: keep hydrated by drinking lots of water. Hydrated cells are better at fighting infection and flushing toxins, germs, and contaminants from your body.
🍎 Eat your five-a-day: fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, antioxidants, fibres, oils, and acids that keep you healthy and your immune system happy. Eat plenty and try to include as many different colours as you can to ensure you benefit from the full range of bioactive compounds they contain.
7. Combat stress
It’s no secret that stress is detrimental to health, and it can make you more susceptible to viral infections. Research shows that chronic stress increases the chance of developing an infection after exposure to a pathogen.
Use yoga and relaxation techniques such as self-hypnosis, or deep breathing to calm your mind. Try to share your troubles with others. Talking to a friend or a counsellor if you prefer can bring things into focus and help alleviate some of your stress.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider learning about time management systems that ensure you optimise your working hours. Learning to say no can help you feel less stress and pressure.
8. Get enough sleep
Have you ever been ill and spent the whole day sleeping? Sleep helps your body to recover, lowers stress, and is an essential survival mechanism. Although the full mechanisms are not yet understood, you need sleep to repair and heal.
Make sure you get enough sleep, aim for eight hours. If you’re feeling ill, you should allow yourself as much sleep as your body needs.
9. Don't panic
Unless you have recently travelled to known infected areas overseas or been in contact with someone infected with the coronavirus, then treat any cough or cold symptoms as normal. The NHS advises that people should call 111 instead of visiting the GP’s surgery to prevent the risk of infecting others.
I HOPE THIS WILL HELP YOU
''STAY HEALTHY & SAFE''
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