Last Updated: 24th July, 2022
Mild Covid-19 Positive Patients Home Care Tips: Since a catastrophic ‘second wave‘ of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps over the country, uniting together is the most sensible course of action. However, it is critical to follow the COVID Appropriate Behavior (CAB) guidelines, such as wearing masks, utilizing hand sanitizer, cleansing our hands, and establishing social distance, keeping strong both physically and psychologically is equally critical in this time frame.
As you may be aware, the incidence of covid positive cases continues to rise at an unprecedented rate. If yourself or someone else in your family, acquaintances or neighbors came back positive for COVID, the first thing you should do is NOT FREAK OUT. COVID-19 is a respiratory infection, similar to the flu, that need immediate medical intervention, as well as home care and isolation.
Accordingly, if you’re pondering what to cope if you’ve been diagnosed with COVID, we’ve compiled a list of practical ‘Home Care Tips‘ for mild COVID-19 positive patients based on our review of the MoHFW guidelines, WHO, and CDC.
Mild Covid-19 Positive Patients: Isolate, Rest And Restore Health
Isolate, but stay connected: Maintain a daily routine, read books and take out time for self-care. Stay in touch with your loved ones through audio/video calls.
Take rest, but stay active: Walk in your room for at least 15-20 min a day. Staying active will improve blood circulation and prevent clotting.
Eat well and drink fluids: Eat easy-to-digest food. Take plenty of fluids (3-4 L/day). Have warm water, turmeric milk, kadha and soup at least once daily.
Keep In Touch With Your Doctor
Share all your test reports and vitals with your doctor. Take doctor’s advice over:
- Home care protocols
- Medicines
- Emergency care
- Hospitalizations, if needed
Keep Thermometer And Pulse Oximeter By Your Side
Keep track of your temperature, oxygen saturation, and pulse three times a day, or as directed by your doctor. If you have hypertension or diabetes, keep track of your blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
Know The Symptoms Of Covid-19
Known symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, and loss of smell/taste. However, doctors are observing some additional new symptoms in the second wave, such as:
- Pink eyes (conjunctivitis)
- A headache
- Body aches
- Stomach upset (diarrhea and vomiting)
All of these symptoms can be in various permutations and combinations. If you have any of these symptoms, then get tested. And as you wait for your test results, do
- Isolate yourself, so you don’t affect your family in case you are positive
- Watch out for worsening of symptoms
- Monitor your health parameters most importantly temperature and oxygen saturation
Watch Out For These Warning Signs
Obtain emergency medical help on seeing these signs:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Decrease in oxygen saturation (SpO2 < 95%); below 90% is alarming
- High-grade fever/severe cough, particularly for > 5 days
- Mental confusion
Please Note: A low threshold should be kept for those with any of the high-risk features such as age > 60 yrs, comorbidities like diabetes, and other immunocompromised states.
Breathe Better With The Following Tips
- Lie down flat on your abdomen/tummy (equally known proning). Perform this for a few minutes in the day – may be beneficial for improving ventilation and making breathing easy in mild cases.
- Practice breathing exercises to improve your breathing capacity.
- Blowing balloons to boost lung capacity. Blow 2-3 breaths, hold for a while and exhale.
Take Medicines But Do Not Self-Medicate
- Take medicines for relieving symptoms. For example, paracetamol for fever can be taken with a minimum gap of 4-6 hrs between two doses. Some mild COVID-19 positive patients may benefit from blood thinners or steroids, but DO NOT take these without your doctor’s advice.
- Supplements for immunity. Take supplements containing Zinc and Vitamin C for developing immunity.
Remember, your doctor will suggest the proper course of treatment. Do not self-medicate.
When To End Home Isolation?
If you were symptomatic: 10 days after symptom onset, plus at least 3 additional days without symptoms.
If you were asymptomatic: 10 days after a positive test for SARS-CoV-2.
Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery. In such cases, you need not delay the end of isolation.
Is Re-Testing Required After The Home Isolation Is Over?
Not required. According to WHO, mild COVID-19 positive patients whose symptoms have resolved may still test positive for the COVID-19 virus by RT-PCR for many weeks. Despite this positive test result, these mild COVID-19 positive patients are unlikely to be infectious and therefore are unlikely to be able to transmit the virus to another person.
In other words, even if you repeat RT-PCR test is positive again after isolation time, you will not spread the virus to others.
