Explainer: What precautions should you take if someone in your household has COVID? And what are the signs of the illness taking a nasty turn?
Eight months into the coronavirus pandemic, staying home is still the best way to stay safe from COVID-19. But what if the virus has already come to call?
You can’t leave your property unless you need medical attention or it’s an emergency – not even to exercise or duck out to the shops. And you need to steer clear of the rest of your household. Wear a mask any time you are around others, don’t share a bed and isolate to a separate room, ideally with your own bathroom, where you can avoid communal areas. You can still get goods ordered to your door, but wear a mask and keep your distance during the handover.
In Australia, only people living with a confirmed case need to stay home with them . But when someone is in isolation, everyone needs to practise good infection control, particularly regular hand washing, says McLaws. Based on the science so far, a person seems to start shedding the virus three to five days after they are first infected, usually becoming infectious two days before they develop symptoms. "And they usually shed more virus as the symptoms kick in," she says.
As for your other roommates, some health authorities even advise against "close contact" with a pet. Outside the initial outbreak in China in late 2019, there is no evidence animals can pass the virus to people but a small number of pets have caught mild cases of COVID-19 from people. "Unless you're really up close and personal with your pets, it's probably fine," MacIntyre says.
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