How to protect yourself and others from infection as COVID-19 cases increase

COVID-19 is now impacting the lives of Canadians on many levels and people across the country are seeking answers to numerous important questions they have about the novel coronavirus. Below is a summary:

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Health Canada says those who are infected with COVID-19 may have few, if any symptoms, or may not know they’re infected because symptoms of the novel coronavirus are similar to a cold or flu.

Those symptoms have included fever, cough and difficulty breathing.

Other symptoms can include fatigue, mucus production, muscle or joint pain, sore throat, headache and chills. COVID-19 can sometimes escalate to pneumonia.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 78 per cent of the people confirmed to have COVID-19 in this country have developed a cough, 49 per cent a fever, and 52 per cent have experienced chills.

Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19. Health officials are still trying to determine whether the virus can be transmitted to others if someone is not showing symptoms. While experts believe this is possible, it’s considered to be rare.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK I HAVE SYMPTOMS?

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they’re mild, stay at home and follow local health authorities’ instructions to self-isolate.

If you feel sick and must visit a health-care professional, Health Canada says you should call ahead or tell them when you arrive that you have a respiratory illness. You may be asked to wear a mask while waiting for or receiving treatment to prevent the spread of the illness.

Tell them your symptoms and travel history and let them know whether you’ve had direct contact with animals or a sick person, especially if they’ve had symptoms.

HOW SICK WILL I GET?

Most people diagnosed with COVID19 experience mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority of those who contract the virus recover.

However, for some, especially older adults and those with pre-existing conditions, it can cause more severe illness, such as pneumonia. In some cases, it can be fatal.

As of March 27, six per cent of Canadian cases have required hospitalization, with two per cent of cases requiring admission to the ICU.

The World Health Organization has found that among patients in China, 80 per cent suffered mild cough and fever symptoms while 14 per cent suffered severe symptoms requiring treatment, including being placed on ventilators. A further one per cent lapsed into critical condition with symptoms that could include respiratory failure, septic shock and organ failure or dysfunction.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I SHOULD BE TESTED FOR COVID-19?

The best way to determine if you should go to a testing centre is to call your doctor or local public health office.

Canada’s chief public health officer Theresa Tam has said tests are prioritized for certain types of cases: travellers who have symptoms; those with severe respiratory illness, regardless of whether they’ve travelled; people in long-term care facilities with influenza-like illness; and hospital-related illness, including health-care workers who are sick.

She emphasized, however, clinicians at assessment centres that are opening up across the country still have the ability to make their own judgement on who gets tested.

Several provinces and the federal government have created online selfassessment tools that will advise you what to do.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL?

The government has closed the border with the U.S. for non-essential travel, and strongly advises Canadians to avoid travelling anywhere as many countries impose movement bans, quarantines, and airlines ground flights.

HOW DO I SELF-ISOLATE?

Ideally, self-isolation means halting all contact with others, and setting up a space dedicated solely to the person being isolated.

Those who live with others should try to segregate parts of the home. Do not use common spaces at the same time; stay out of the kitchen; dedicate a separate washroom to that person if possible, and don’t share towels or toiletries. Clean spaces where that individual has been and do not touch surfaces that person has touched before cleaning.