As COVID-19 continues to spread and more people become infected there is increasing concern about what to do if you are sick and are told to self-quarantine.
“The fact is a lot of people are going to have COVID and most of them are not going to have to be admitted, at least 85 per cent of people we think are going to manage OK at home,” said Dr. Rebecca Van Iersel, chief of family medicine at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
“In many ways, this is like getting the flu or getting a cold," she added. "For some people, it will be a little bit mild, for some people it will be a little bit worse than that.”
A to-do list which has been circulating on Facebook contains some pearls of wisdom, she said, but not all the suggestions apply to everyone who is infected because the symptoms are so varied, as is the degree to which people get sick.
The list touches on medications, dietary supplements and suggestions of food as well as the best way to lie down in bed and moving around.
It’s not necessary to let a fever burn on, for instance, because it can be mitigated, said the Orillia doctor.
“You don’t need to let the fever burn hot to fight the infection, so take Tylenol and manage the fever,” said Van Iersel.
A sick body uses a lot of fluids, so drinking plenty of water will help someone who’s ill to stay hydrated.
Van Iersel found the suggestion of lying on the belly an interesting one and traced the practice to “proning," commonly used to treat pneumonia when antibiotics were not as readily available.
The idea is that lungs breathe and expand easier when a person lies on their stomach.
“The evidence for it in COVID is actually in critical care. It’s for intubated patients in ICU (intensive care unit). They are turning them and they are better able to better ventilate them,” she said.
Getting up and moving about the house as part of everyday activities like going to the washroom and getting food and water is generally enough to avoid blood clots, said Van Iersel, adding there’s probably no need for baby Aspirin that’s suggested in the circulated list.
Its suggestion of specific foods and supplements is largely a matter of individual preference.
“If you want to make yourself a smoothie and that makes you feel better, then go for it,” she said.
What the list doesn’t include, however, is how to keep those around you safe.
“If you test positive, your family members are all contacts,” said Van Iersel, who suggested checking out the health unit website, which spells out what to do as does Public Health Ontario on how to quarantine at home to minimize the risk to other family members.
That includes a lot of washing, cleaning, not sharing items and using personal protection.
In addition, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention suggests those who have COVID-19 keep track of their symptoms. If any warning signs do appear, such as trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest or bluish lips or face, they are advised to seek emergency care.
The federal government has a webpage of what those who are providing care for a sick person at home can do and what supplies they might need.