• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
  • Giving
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Mom looking at computer with Child

Coronavirus: Caring for Yourself or a Loved One

Mar 12, 2020 |
By Katherine Baumgarten, MD
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

When you or a family member develop a cough or a slight fever, your mind might immediately jump to “Do I/they have coronavirus?” Remember, we are still in flu and cold season and allergy season is starting up. The presenting symptoms may be related to something different than COVID-19.

If you or a family member do start to experience symptoms that cause concern, before you visit a hospital or urgent care facility, you should reach out to your physician or nurse through Ochsner Anywhere Care; the MyOchsner patient portal, which allows you to connect with your primary care physician or pediatrician; or call the Ochsner COVID-19 Info Line, our free nurse care line (1-844-888-2772). Your physician will be able to help navigate your symptoms to decide what is the best treatment option.

If you or a family member are suspected to have COVID-19 or test positive, keep in mind that not everyone will be hospitalized. Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the symptoms and the health of the patient. Your doctor can help determine if present symptoms can be treated at home or if you need to visit an office or hospital in-person.

If your doctor thinks you or your family member’s symptoms can be managed at home, here are some steps the CDC recommends you take:

If you are caring for yourself

  • If you have COVID-19, you should go into isolation. COVID-19 is spread through person-to-person infection. If you live at home with other people, stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available. Avoid going into work or school to avoid spreading the virus more.
  • Avoid sharing personal items with other people in your household, such as dishes, cups, dinnerware, towels and bedding.
  • Get rest and stay hydrated.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and immediately throw the tissue away.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • If you need to be around other people in or outside of the home, wear a face mask.
  • If you have a fever, you can take fever-reducing medications, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Continue to discussion with your provider what medications you are taking.

If you are caring for a family member, such a child or elderly parent

  • If someone in your family has COVID-19, household members should stay in separate rooms if possible. Household members should also use separate bathrooms if possible.
  • The patient should wear a facemask when they are around other people. If the patient is unable to wear a mask, such as a child, the family member treating them should wear a mask when they are in the same room.
  • Wear a disposable mask and gloves if you are handling the patient’s blood, stool or bodily fluids, such as saliva, mucus, vomit or urine.
  • Wash all laundry thoroughly using the warmest appropriate water according to the manufacturer – wear disposable gloves while handling soiled items.
  • Throw away any disposable gloves or masks in a lined container.
    • According to the CDC, “When removing personal protective equipment, first remove and dispose of gloves. Then, immediately clean your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Next, remove and dispose of facemask, and immediately clean your hands again with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.”
  • Clean your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds frequently – especially after handling contaminated items or helping the patient. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60 to 95% alcohol can also be used. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.
  • Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
  • Avoid sharing household items with the patient, such as dinnerware, towels, bedding, etc.
  • Frequently disinfect high-touch areas such as countertops, doorknobs, toys electronics, etc.
  • Prohibit any non-essential people from coming over to your house.

If you find you or your loved one’s symptoms are worsening, call your healthcare provider immediately. Let them know you or your family member have or may have COVID-19. For medical emergencies, call 911 and notify the dispatch personal that you or your family member have or may have COVID-19.

Learn more about coronavirus updates

In early December 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their recommendations regarding COVID-19 exposure quarantine. While this doesn't apply to healthcare workers and other essential personnel, the guidance now states that quarantine can end after 10 days (rather than 14) with no testing and no symptoms. Quarantine can end after seven days with a negative test and no symptoms.

The information in this blog post is accurate at the time of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to change, it's possible that information has changed since being published. While Ochsner Health is trying to keep our blog posts as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations by using the CDC website.

You may also be interested in:

Mom and Child Handwashing
Conditions & Treatment
Mar 9, 2020

How to Talk to Your Child About Coronavirus

As talk of the coronavirus grows, parents should be mindful that this can seem a bit scary for kids. Here are a few ways to prepare them and ease their anxiety.
By Katherine Baumgarten, MD and Lee Ann Annotti, PhD
Woman on Couch with Coffee
Conditions & Treatment
Mar 12, 2020

How Social Distancing Can Help Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus

As cases of coronavirus in the United States spread, recent precautions from the CDC urged people to consider social distancing to prevent the spread of infection.
By Katherine Baumgarten, MD
Grocery shopping
Prevention & Wellness
Mar 10, 2020

How to Stock Your Home for Quarantine

During a health-related event, such as coronavirus, we are encouraged to compile a reserve of products in order to create social distancing, not because there is a shortage expected.
By Katherine Baumgarten, MD

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide