What should I do if I suspect that I have contracted COVID-19?

Please remember that unless you’ve been travelling, or have had contact with people with known infection, your risk for contracting COVID-19 is almost negligible.

However, if you suspect that you might have contracted the virus and are showing signs of respiratory illness, please do the following:

• Call your doctor, who will assess you and see whether you qualify as a person under investigation. Please do not arrive at the hospital unannounced so that they can prepare to safely and efficiently receive you.
• Self-isolate at home, and avoid social contacts. If possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home, and use a separate bathroom.
• Wear a mask if you have to be around other people in your home and wash your hands regularly. Remember however that only specific masks such as the N95 are approved to protect you from infecting others.
• If a family member cares for you, he/she should wear a face mask when they are in the room with you, and wash their hands thoroughly when they leave the room.
• Doctors have been informed and trained on how and from whom they should collect specimens. When you visit the doctor, clinic or hospital, you will be asked certain questions, examined and informed whether you should be tested. If so, they will collect a specimen for testing and send this to a laboratory.
• Various labs have been trained on testing for the virus and are working closely with NICD on the same.

PLEASE NOTE: Patient self-referrals will NOT be tested. You must go to your healthcare provider for assessment.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Covid-19 online resource and news portal: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD): https://www.NICD.ac.za/