Family Member Tested Positive? Follow These Precautions To Prevent Infection

21 Apr, 2021 15:29 IST

If you are caring for someone with COVID-19 at home or in a non-healthcare setting, follow this advice to protect yourself and others. Learn what to do when someone has symptoms of COVID-19 or when someone has been infected with the virus. This information also should be followed when caring for people who have tested positive but are not showing symptoms.

COVID-19 spreads between people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets, created when someone talks, coughs, or sneezes. Staying away from others helps stop the spread of COVID-19.

The caregiver, when possible, should not be someone who is at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Here are some of the frequently asked questions and answers to them;

What to do if your family member is Covid Positive?

If any of your family members is Corona positive.
Assume that you all are Covid positive.

What happens when you have a Covid Positive family member, but you may be negative?

How do you care for them while staying safe?

Let us fill you in.

Protect yourself and others around you by knowing the facts and taking appropriate precautions. Follow the advice provided by your local health authority.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19:

Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub.
Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Stay home if you feel unwell.
If you have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.
Calling in advance allows your healthcare provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This protects you and prevents the spread of viruses and other infections.

Importance of Masks

Masks can help prevent the spread of the virus from a person wearing the mask to others. Masks alone do not protect against COVID-19 and should be combined with physical distancing and hand hygiene. Follow the advice provided by your local health authority.

Should you rush the covid positive family member to the hospital?

If you have mild symptoms or you are asymptomatic you can treat yourself at home.
But if your condition worsens, then you need to go to the hospital.
Health care officials would recommend going to the hospital if your body temperature is more than 101 degrees Celsius or if your CRP crosses the 10 mark or you start coughing on the third day.

What to do if a family member tests positive?

If any of your family members is corona positive, assume that you all are covid positive.
The infected person should immediately isolate himself/herself and people who are close to that person should also quarantine themselves.
How can I help a family member with COVID-19 at home?
The sick person should stay in a separate room. If this is not possible, then keep at least a 1-metre distance from them. The infected person and anyone else in the same room should wear an N95 mask.
Provide good ventilation in the room where the infected person is staying and open windows if possible and safe to do so.

List of precautions to follow:

Immediately Implement Physical Distancing, stay in a specific room away from others in the home, and use a separate bathroom if available.
Prevent the Spread of Germs, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
Clean your hands often and thoroughly with soap or alcohol rub.
Clean surfaces with soap or disinfectants.
Don’t touch your face unless you’ve just cleaned your hands.
Monitor for Worsening Symptoms, and Know the Emergency Warning Signs

Should I also test myself?

An isolated person should get himself/herself tested and quarantined people can live together but they would have to observe themselves for five days.
You should not wait for the Covid test report to decide whether you are positive or not.
Because you might have spread the virus by then.
If you have symptoms of Covid and you all are living in the same house just assume that everyone is infected and apply standard precautions.

Can a vaccinated person get Covid?

Always remember if you have symptoms, regardless of the fact that you are vaccinated you can still get infected.
Even if you have been infected earlier you can still get it once again.