What To Do If You Feel Sick Right Now

With the deluge of COVID-19 news every day, it can be confusing to know what to do if you are feeling sick right now. The most important thing you can do is get the right information from trusted medical sources and do not panic.

INTEGRIS has a COVID-19 Resource Center that contains information that may answer your questions. In addition, here are some answers to common questions to help you navigate through this challenging time.

I’m feeling sick. Now what? 

Most people with COVID-19 will not need to go to a doctor office, emergency room or hospital for care. At this time, there is no medicine to cure or prevent COVID-19. Staying home and letting the illness run its course is what most people will need to do. If you aren’t feeling well, or if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, you should plan to self-quarantine at your home for 14 days, with the assumption you are positive for COVID-19, to ensure the virus doesn’t spread.

If you feel you need additional help beyond your home care, call your primary care provider for instructions before physically heading to the clinic or the emergency room.

To limit exposure to others you can also seek care in the following ways.

• If you don’t have your own primary care doctor to call, schedule an INTEGRIS Virtual Visit, which will be conducted online. You can download the app for iPhone and Android or use on your computer at www.integrisvirtualvisit.com 
• Or, if you are already an established patient with an INTEGRIS primary care provider, you can request an e-visit with your primary care provider through the patient portal INTEGRIS and Me, at www.INTEGRISandMe.com. 
• However, if you are having a true medical emergency, and develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 such as difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, and bluish lips or face, call 911 right away or visit an ER.

What will happen after the phone/internet consultation?

If you have strong symptoms of COVID-19, the doctor who conducted your initial consultation over the phone or online may suggest you visit a physician or ER in person.

However, the treatment for COVID-19 is the same for both confirmed versus suspected patients. Because of the world-wide shortage of testing kits, basic COVID-19 symptoms may not be tested. 

If you are only showing mild symptoms, the doctor who conducted your initial consultation over the phone or internet may just recommend bed rest, drinking a lot of fluids and taking over-the-counter flu medications until your symptoms pass.

What to Do If You Are Diagnosed With COVID-19

If you are sick with COVID-19, The Centers for Disease Control suggests following the steps below to help protect other people in your home and community.

• If you are ill, stay home. You should not expose other people by visiting public areas.
• If you are sick, make sure to stay away from others, even in your home. Have a specific room in your house that no one else in the family is allowed to enter, and if possible, use a separate bathroom.
• Although there have not been any cases of transmission of COVID-19 from or to pets, you should still limit your contact with your pets and other animals.
• If you are quarantined at home, wear a facemask, even at home, unless it causes trouble breathing. Definitely wear a facemask if you must leave your house or go see a doctor in person. 
• If you have a family member who is sick, wear a facemask if you need to enter the room to care for him or her.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue if you cough or sneeze. Tissues should be thrown away immediately, and you should immediately wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. If soap isn’t available, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Do not share dishes, eating utensils, bedding, towels or glasses with anyone else in the home. Always wash your dishes or bedding with water and soap.
• Clean all “high-touch” surfaces every day, like bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, remote controls, doorknobs, phones, toilets, keyboards and bedside items. Most EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. 

For additional information, you can also call the Oklahoma State Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline at 877-215-8336.