Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Handy advice if you are convalescing at home
With Covid cases and hospitalisations still high across the county, NHS Lanarkshire has issued self-care advice for people sick at home with coronavirus, or one of the other common winter illnesses.
Most people can look after themselves perfectly well at home. Rest is important Dr Linda Findlay
Commenting on the advice, Dr Linda Findlay, medical director for South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said how concerned they were about the rapidly rising Covid case numbers and increasing hospitalisations across the area.
She told the Advertiser: “We’re seeing around 3000 daily positive Covid cases, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant races across Lanarkshire and hospital admissions are rising, fast.
“The majority of people who have been double vaccinated or those who have already had their booster, will – we hope and expect – have a mild illness if they do catch Covid, a bit like a winter cold or bout of flu with many of the same symptoms.
“Most people can look after themselves perfectly well at home. Rest is important; many will need to spend a few days in bed.
“So, too, is keeping windows open for fresh air. Be strict about hand hygiene. Drink plenty of fluids but avoid tea, coffee and alcohol and eat simple food if you’re hungry.
“Take over the counter painkillers like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for headaches and sore and aching limbs.”
During the winter of 2020, the levels of many common seasonal infections like flu, the common cold and the winter vomiting bug (norovirus) remained low even as the pandemic surged.
Scientists believe that the measures taken then to fight the pandemic – such as limiting social interactions, physical distancing, mask wearing, hand washing and keeping windows open – had a huge impact on these other common illnesses.
But with everyone’s focus on the new Covid variant, it’s easy to forget how transmissible other common winter bugs are; once one person in a group becomes sick, everyone else tends to fall sick too.
Ten tips from NHS Lanarkshire for self-care at home this winter if you get sick with a cold, flu, norovirus or Covid are:
Stay at home and stay away from other members of the household to limit the spread. Rest.
Wash your hands often and well with warm water and soap.
Don’t prepare meals or share food, plates, mugs or cutlery with others in your household.
Take Paracetamol or other over the counter painkillers for headaches, sore throats and sore and aching limbs.
Keep windows open to ventilate rooms.
Drink plenty of fluids but avoid tea, coffee and alcohol. Water is best.
Eat small, light meals if you feel like it.
If you are vomiting or have diarrhoea take oral rehydration salts. You can buy these at the pharmacy. If you have blood in your poo, seek medical help.
And if you’re worried about a baby under 12 months, or if you as an adult don’t get better after seven-to-10 days, or if you feel your symptoms are worsening at any point, call NHS 24 on 111.