Ask the Doc: ‘What if I have Covid-19?’
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Dr Laura Ryan, NHS 24 medical director, answers readers’ questions in our weekly column.
Q. What is the first thing I should do if I develop Covid symptoms, and how do I book a test?
A. Symptoms of the coronavirus are:
- Continuous cough.
- Fever/high temperature (37.8C or greater).
- Loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste (anosmia).
A new continuous cough is where you:
- Have a new cough that’s lasted for an hour.
- Have had three or more episodes of coughing in 24 hours.
- Are coughing more than usual.
If you develop any symptom of Covid-19, no matter how mild, you should immediately self- isolate and book a test. Isolating means you and all household members or extended household members should remain at home and shouldn’t go to work, school, public areas or use public transport. You should not go out to buy food or other essentials. Do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital. While home, you should isolate from other household members as much as possible – this means sleeping in different rooms, using different cutlery, different towels, etc.
Tests can be booked online via the self-help guide on NHS Inform. Phone the coronavirus helpline (0800 028 2816) if you can’t access the test form online or need help to complete it. Please note that 111 is for people who are unwell and need an assessment of their symptoms – and cannot arrange a test for you.
You should stay home until you get the test result, and then follow the advice you will be given. It’s very important that you stay home if you have symptoms. You should also stay home if someone you live with or someone in your extended household has symptoms.
Household isolation will help control the spread of the virus. All information on Covid-19 is available at www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus.
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