7 Essential Steps to Take After Testing Positive For COVID-19
As I’m writing this article, more than 100 million people worldwide have suffered (or still are) from COVID-19. At this point, the virus is spreading so rapidly in our country that almost every one of us knows someone who has been infected.
If you haven’t contacted COVID-19 yet, you probably know it can happen anytime.
The real question is: what do you do when it does happen? What are the first steps you should take after receiving a positive test result?
Today, we’ll have a look at some of the most important pieces of advice from health experts on how you should treat your own COVID-19 infection.
Step #1: Isolate yourself immediately
Being diagnosed with COVID-19 after hearing millions of stories involving health complications and even worse is difficult to say the least. You may feel fear, shock, anger and even shame considering the stigma surrounding this topic.
In times like these, all you need is a hug or a reassurance from your loved ones that everything will be okay… but that’s exactly what experts do not recommend. In fact, you should physically separate yourself from others as soon as possible.
What does this mean? Firstly, it means distancing yourself from other members of the household. If you can, it’s best to isolate yourself in one room with a separate bathroom and never leave it. Timothy Brewer, M.D., professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA, recommends that you use separate towels and have your family leave food by the door so you maintain social distance.
If you don’t have the possibility of complete self-isolation, you can still do your best to maintain social distance as much as possible from other household members. Keep your windows open as much as possible to prevent spending extra time in a closed environment. It may feel silly, but if they haven’t contracted the virus from you yet, these measures can keep them safe and healthy.
Dr. Brewer points out that there have been many situations when people living in the same home didn’t receive the SARS-CoV-2 virus particularly due to adopting such safety measures.
Having said that, it’s equally important that you don’t leave the house under any circumstances. This includes drive-thru and delivery services, as you can pass the virus onto others fairly easily this way as well.
