What are the symptoms of coronavirus infection?
Like other pathogens, infection with the novel coronavirus can lead to symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat and fever, and some people also suffer from diarrhea. In the cases reported mainly from China so far, four out of five cases were mild.
When is someone considered a suspected case?
Suspected corona cases are people who have symptoms of respiratory diseases and who have been in a corona crisis region within the last 14 days or who have had direct contact with people from a crisis region.
What rules apply to these suspected cases?
“For suspected cases, it is necessary to register directly in a hospital by telephone and then go there immediately,” informed Saxony’s Health Minister Petra Köpping. In addition to the St. Georg Clinic in Leipzig, there are also special wards for infectious diseases in the Dresden and Chemnitz clinics. The university hospitals in Dresden and Leipzig are also equipped for such diseases. In addition, every hospital is able to isolate patients with infectious diseases for a certain period of time. People who have been in a risk area should also avoid unnecessary contacts and, if possible, stay at home, and pay attention to the cough and sneeze label and good hand hygiene.
What do I do if I don’t know if I am infected?
If you experience symptoms of the respiratory tract, you should first contact a doctor by phone. The latter then decides on the further procedure.
The following applies regardless of the symptoms described: Anyone who has had personal contact with a person who has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in the laboratory should contact the responsible health authority immediately. Depending on the case, this then defines the specific procedure. Recommendations can include staying at home, keeping a distance from third parties and ensuring good ventilation of the home.
How is the coronavirus disease detected?
The suspicion can be checked in a laboratory test. Smears are taken from the upper and deep airways.
Does the health insurance company pay for the laboratory test?
If a doctor has prescribed a corona test for a patient, the health insurance company will cover the costs. In order to reduce the risk of infection, the “indication criteria” for testing for the virus have been expanded, explained the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. With the new regulation, it is up to the doctors to decide whether a patient should be tested or not. Previously, coverage was only available for tests on patients with symptoms who were either in contact with a confirmed case or had been in a risk area within the past 14 days.
How is the new virus transmitted?
The main route of transmission is droplet infection. This can happen directly from person to person via the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract or indirectly via hands, which are then brought into contact with the oral or nasal mucosa and the conjunctiva. It has not yet been conclusively clarified whether the novel coronavirus can also be spread via the fecal-oral route.
Is there a risk of getting infected through imported food?
In the case of corona viruses, transmission takes place primarily via respiratory secretions. A transmission via inanimate surfaces such as imported goods, mail items or luggage therefore seems unlikely and has not yet been documented.
How long is the incubation period?
It is currently assumed that the incubation period is up to 14 days. This means that it can take up to 14 days after infection to show signs of the disease.
How is Coronavirus infection treated?
There is currently no special therapy for the treatment of Covid-19. However, the symptoms can be alleviated with medication. A hospital stay has usually not been necessary so far, since the vast majority of those infected are either not at all ill or only slightly as if they had a cold.
Why do all contacts have to be in quarantine for 14 days?
Experience has shown that the new type of corona virus is highly contagious. A further spread in Germany should be prevented as far as possible or at least slowed down. For this, it is necessary to identify the people who have had contact with people for whom the virus has been detected in the laboratory as completely as possible. During this time, the health department is in daily contact with those affected to monitor their state of health and to act quickly in the event of signs of illness. At the same time, the contacts of those affected are reduced to a minimum so that in case of doubt the virus cannot be spread further.
What are the rules during home quarantine?
Individual accommodation in a well ventilated room is recommended during quarantine. Avoid contact with other people, especially if they belong to a risk group. This primarily includes people with a weakened immune system, chronically ill people, the elderly and pregnant women. Roommates and family members should generally be in other rooms or keep a minimum distance of at least one to two meters. The use of shared spaces should be kept to a minimum and should be separated as far as possible. These rooms, especially the kitchen and bathroom, must be cleaned regularly and well ventilated. It is important to wash your hands regularly before and after preparing food, before eating and after using the toilet. It is best to use disposable paper towels to dry. Hygiene articles should not be divided and the laundry should be washed regularly and thoroughly as usual.
Does it make sense to wear mouth and nose protection?
Anyone who suffers from a respiratory disease and has to move around in public spaces can reduce the risk of infecting other people by wearing a nose and throat protector (e.g. a surgical face mask). For optimal effectiveness, it is important that the nose and throat protector is properly seated (i.e. worn close-fitting), changed when wet, and that no (even unconscious) manipulation is carried out on it during wear. On the other hand, there is insufficient evidence that wearing mouth-nose protection significantly reduces the risk of infection for a healthy person who wears it.
This does not affect the recommendations for wearing respiratory masks by medical personnel in terms of occupational safety.
Which means are suitable for disinfection?
For chemical disinfection, agents with proven efficacy are to be used with the range of activity “limited virucidal” (effective against enveloped viruses), “limited virucidal PLUS” or “virucidal”. Suitable agents include the list of disinfectants and procedures tested and recognized by the RKI and the disinfectant list of the Association for Applied Hygiene (VAH list).
Where can you find out if a travel destination is still safe?
Health recommendations for trips abroad are given by the Federal Foreign Office (AA). Current information on the security situation in individual affected countries can be found on the AA’s country website.
What if I am quarantined while traveling?
Those who cannot appear at the workplace in these circumstances will continue to receive the salary.
Can I stay at home if the daycare center or school is quarantined?
