Managing COVID-19 safely at home
Sydney (Tribune International, Multicultural NSW Media Release, 14 Jan 2022); If you are under 65 years of age,
have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, do not suffer from any chronic health conditions and are not pregnant, you can safely manage COVID-19 at home.
Most people with COVID-19 will have a mild illness and will recover in a few days or so, with some people having no symptoms at all.
Most symptoms can be managed with:
- bed rest
- regular paracetamol and ibuprofen to relieve pain and fevers
- throat lozenges for a sore throat
- keeping hydrated with regular sips of water.
Continue to take any medications you have been prescribed as usual. If you are unsure about continuing to take your current medication or treatment, or have any concerns about your health, call your doctor.
Please contact your GP or call the NSW Health COVID-19 Care at Home Support Line on 1800 960 933 if you are pregnant, or if you have a chronic condition including:
- obesity
- severe, chronic or complex medical conditions (including cardiac, respiratory, renal or neurodevelopmental)
- diabetes
- immunocompromised, including if you have cancer
- severe mental illness.
There are effective treatments available for people at risk of severe disease from COVID-19. If you need other clinical support or have non-urgent health related questions during isolation, call the NSW Health COVID-19 Care at Home Support Line on 1800 960 933.
If you develop severe symptoms (particularly severe dizziness, drowsiness or confusion, suffering shortness of breath, chest pressure or pain lasting more than 10 minutes, or you are unable to stand) you should call Triple Zero (000) straight away and tell the ambulance staff that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
If you are a person at high risk of health complications, such as a pregnant woman, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person, unvaccinated person over 16 years of age or immunosuppressed, then you need to call the NSW Health COVID-19 Care at Home Support Line on 1800 960 933.
To find out more and to access this information in more languages visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/advice-for-confirmed.aspx.
Register positive rapid antigen test results with Service NSW
Anyone who tests positive using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) will now be required to register their result with Service NSW.
You can register a positive RAT test here: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/register-positive-rapid-antigen-test-result.
For free help in your language, you can call Translating and Interpreting Services on 13 14 50 and ask them to contact Service NSW on 13 77 88. The service provides immediate phone interpreting.
Leaving self-isolation
If you test positive with a PCR or rapid antigen test, you must isolate immediately for 7 days. Your household must also isolate for 7 days.
If you have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath after 7 days, please remain in isolation until 24 hours after your symptoms have resolved.
You must self-isolate for 7 days from the day you were tested. You can only leave self-isolation after 7 days if you do not have a sore throat, runny nose, cough or shortness of breath.
More info: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/recovery.aspx
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Changes to definition of COVID-19 contacts
People at the highest risk of catching COVID-19 include someone who:
- is a household contact of someone who has COVID-19
- has spent a lot of time with someone who has COVID-19 (e.g. stayed at their house or went on a long car trip together).
These people are at high-risk and must take a COVID-19 test as soon as they are told by the person who has COVID-19. They must isolate for 7 days from the day they saw the COVID-19 positive person and have a negative test result and no symptoms on day 6 before leaving isolation on day 7.
More information: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/people-exposed-to-covid.aspx
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For more information
Updated information and translated resources and materials about COVID-19 are available at www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
Call 13 77 88, available 24/7, for COVID-19 related questions. To speak to an interpreter in your language call 13 14 50
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