Table of contents:

Essential medical consultation
Hygiene course in relation to coronavirus
Key recommendations created by the WHO

The current global situation shows that the course of the disease is changing very rapidly. Patients who present with fever, cough and shortness of breath should be hospitalised immediately. However, there are an increasing number of people who are suspected of being infected with coronavirus, but whose symptoms are mild. It is then worth considering home care.

Necessary medical consultation

It is very dangerous to make decisions about home care alone. Therefore, a medical consultation is absolutely necessary. In addition, a healthcare professional should personally assess whether the home conditions of the individual person are suitable for home care. Important! Only people with mild symptoms and without comorbidities should benefit from this form of care. As a reminder, people with weakened immunity, heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, diabetes and others are most at risk of serious complications.

Coronavirus hygiene course

Every patient receiving home care, along with other household members, should receive training in daily hygiene in the context of avoiding the spread of COVID-19. The course should include activities related to prevention and principles of care for a person with suspected coronavirus. For the duration of the quarantine, anyone living with a potentially infected person should be provided with ongoing supportive care and epidemiological surveillance.

Key recommendations developed by WHO

For the safety of the person with suspected coronavirus and those living with them, they should be provided with a place in a separate, well-ventilated, room. It is also very important that communal rooms, i.e. bathroom and kitchen, are also well ventilated.

The patient must be isolated from other rooms and other household members should keep contact with him to a minimum. If possible, a distance of three metres should be maintained.

A person potentially infected with COVID-19 should be cared for by only one healthy person with no chronic diseases. Throughout the quarantine period, any visits, even from next of kin, are prohibited.

Viruses, photo: panthermedia

Very thorough hand hygiene is necessary. After any contact with a potentially infected person, hands should be washed with soap under warm running water for at least thirty seconds. It is advisable to use disposable paper towels. Such hygiene should also apply before and after contact with food.

In order to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the patient should wear a medical mask. For those who do not have this option, it is recommended to cover the nose and mouth with a disposable handkerchief when coughing and sneezing. These should be used once and discarded immediately after each cough or sneeze.

Persons designated to care for a potentially infected person should also wear masks that tightly cover the mouth and nose. Masks should not be touched. A soiled or wet one should be replaced immediately with a new one. How to remove the mask: by removing the elastics or untying it. Under no circumstances should its surface be touched. Wash your hands thoroughly every time.

At least once a day, disinfect the common areas where the patient may have been. Cleaning should be done in two stages. In the first stage, ordinary soap or standard detergent should be used, while in the second stage, a product containing 0.5 per cent sodium hypochlorite should be used. In addition, the patient's bedding and clothes should be changed using protective gloves so that the contaminated material does not come into contact with the body of a healthy person. Linen should be washed at min. 60 degrees with additional detergent.

All disposable personal protective equipment should be placed in a sealed container, which should be in the same room as the patient. The waste must then be disposed of as infectious waste.

Important! The guidelines described above by the WHO are worldwide in scale and the data should always be verified on the official website of the World Health Organisation. It is imperative to follow the guidelines imposed by the Ministry of Health and the Polish government.

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Recommendations for the care of a person with suspected COVID-19

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