COVID-19 is the name of the disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus that was identified in December 2019.
It’s characterised by a higher rate of infection than the common flu strain or cold.
SBS asked Dr Danielle McMullen, the Australian Medical Association's New South Wales Vice President, how can you get the disease?
[["Like any other cold or flu-like illness, you catch COVID-19 from other people who carry the virus."]]
The virus is communicated or transferred through close contact with someone who has the disease and is coughing or sneezing, or by touching surfaces that someone who is sick may have sneezed on, or even just touched after blowing their nose.
She says if you contract it, you may notice a sore throat, a cough, runny nose and / or sneezing.
[[“Some people will get fevers and the pattern we seem to be seeing is that if you’re going to get really unwell that is more likely in the second week of illness. Some people get very unwell with shortness of breath and that’s the main issue with COVID-19, is that difficulty breathing.”]]
So how is it tested and how long does it take to get a result?
[[“Most testing for COVID-19 is done through a swab inside your nose and through the throat to look for the DNA of the virus on that swab."]]
Dr McMullen says at the moment there are different waiting times around the country - for instance in New South Wales it can be up to five days.
Current advice is only to get tested if:
- you have symptoms and you’ve been overseas in the past fortnight, or ...
- you have symptoms and have had close or casual contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
What is the treatment for COVID-19?
[["At the moment there is no known, specific treatment for COVID-19 but the management is all about supportive care, like a cold or a flu. With a mild illness we encourage you to go home, drink plenty of fluids, take Panadol for the aches and pains, and just take it easy, while monitoring symptoms to make sure they're getting better, not worse."]]
Dr McMullen says people in hospital will have their breathing supported in worst cases with a ventilation machine.
W-H-O advice is that people should take paracetamol but NOT ibuprofen if they are suffering from COVID-19.
The fatality rate is just over one per cent and so far there is no consensus on the recovery time – it depends on the severity of the illness.
The Australian Medical Association says 2 to 3 weeks is likely for most people, with more time where there are breathing complications.
If you’ve been diagnosed, check in with the public health authority guidelines each day, for up to date advice on how long you need to isolate and when you can get back to your normal routine.
If you are an employer, Dr Mc Mullen has some special advice:
[["To try and minimise the pressure on the primary care workforce for minor illnesses, if your staff have told you they're unwell and need to be at home, please just believe them. Consider waiving the requirement for a medical certificate for minor illnesses and absences from work."]]
