The possibility of becoming infected with Corona is becoming more and more likely. Hardly anyone who does not know those affected. If you get caught by the virus, you should be prepared, because once you’re in isolation, the logistics are much higher. Some things may then no longer be able to be performed at all – depending on how debilitating the infection is.
If you have found out that you have tested positive, you should personally inform the people you have been in contact with in the past few days, because the health department can no longer keep up with contact tracing.
Even a “mild course” can cause a strong feeling of illness
Even the often cited “mild course” caused by Omikron can be accompanied by severe symptoms such as headaches and body aches, fever, coughing, exhaustion, shortness of breath, sore throat or loss of smell or taste.
Basically, a mild course means that those affected can cure their symptoms at home. How severe the infection is depends, among other things, on the vaccination status of those affected.
Mild or severe course?
The scary thing about a corona infection is that the course is not predictable. This is why many sufferers who cure the disease at home worry. How can you be sure that you don’t miss the moment to call in a doctor or even an emergency doctor? When does the mild course, which can also be associated with a strong feeling of illness, become a severe course?
“Severe courses are characterized by the fact that, from a medical point of view, there is a need for oxygen therapy because the pneumonia is so severe that the body can no longer be supplied with sufficient oxygen by itself in room air,” says Christoph Spinner im BR-Podcast. The disease is considered to be mild if there are no signs of pneumonia or lack of oxygen.
Measure the oxygen saturation of the blood with the pulse oximeter
In order to be able to determine at an early stage whether the lungs are affected and are working less well, some experts recommend a pulse oximeter. A lack of oxygen can also occur before the patient feels shortness of breath, which is a clear warning signal for him. The sooner treatment is given, the better.
What is a pulse oximeter?
A pulse oximeter costs between 20 and 30 euros and is available in pharmacies, for example. It is in the form of a clip that can be clipped onto a finger or earlobe without causing any pain. It measures the oxygen saturation in the blood and the values indicate how well the person taking the measurement is supplied with oxygen. The normal range is between 95 and 100 percent. It also depends on your age and previous illnesses.
It makes sense to check your personal “normal range” before the Covid disease or at the very beginning in order to have a comparative value. If the oxygen saturation drops noticeably during the course of the disease, you should call a doctor – especially if breathing problems are already noticeable.
Using the device can be for your own peace of mind, but it is not always reliable and therefore not meaningful – some factors can falsify the reading, such as artificial or painted fingernails.
Observing the respiratory rate
Because of this, some experts, like Dr. medical Jens Geiseler, chief physician of pneumology at Klinikum Vest in Marl, believes that monitoring the respiratory rate is a better indicator of a severe course. Because when the oxygen concentration in the blood decreases, those affected begin to breathe faster and deeper – without noticing it.
On average, healthy people breathe 12 to 16 times per minute. “The patients who come to us in the early phase of such pneumonia often have a breathing rate of 22 to 24 breaths per minute, but no shortness of breath,” says Geiseler on the homepage of “Lung Doctors on the Net”.
It is therefore important to remain vigilant and not to feel a false sense of security when the first symptoms of the disease have subsided after a few days. It is assumed that the inflammation of the lungs begins later – often only on the sixth or seventh day. “If it starts again with faster breathing, I would have that clarified,” advises Geiseler.
If you are concerned about your health, call your doctor
A pulse oximeter and monitoring your breathing rate can help calm you down. But ultimately, for the layperson, this form of verification is prone to error – especially when you’re excited and anxious. Therefore, if in doubt, it is better to call your family doctor or the emergency medical service on 116 117.
Keep in touch with your family doctor
Tell your family doctor in advance that you have Covid-19. The Federal Center for Health Education recommends this. Whether the doctor will then examine you or give you advice over the phone is different for each individual and also depends on your age and previous illnesses. Otherwise, it is sufficient to tell the doctor if your condition has significantly worsened. The pulse oximeter and the respiratory rate can provide clues.
Even if your general condition deteriorates significantly, you can hardly get out of bed, you have a high fever and then it is difficult to breathe and you have an accelerated pulse, you should contact your family doctor. He can decide whether your condition can be improved with medication or whether hospital admission is necessary. Another point of contact is the emergency medical service. Since this is hopelessly overloaded in some places, the only option is to call 112.
During isolation: keep in touch with friends and family
Ask friends or family to keep in touch with you by phone on a regular basis. They may even be more likely to notice changes in your breathing or condition. It’s also reassuring to know that someone will be alerted if you can’t be reached because you’re feeling down. Because Corona is unpredictable in the course of the disease, a controlling support – even if it is only for your own reassurance – is therefore worth its weight in gold.
Clinical thermometer, painkillers and Co.
What should definitely be in the house is a clinical thermometer to keep an eye on the body temperature. Relying on your feelings is not enough. Sometimes you feel feverish without having a temperature or vice versa. Medicines for colds, sore throats, coughs and colds are absolutely necessary – and of course sufficient quick tests and masks if you don’t live alone.
The first aid kit also includes a wound and healing ointment if you have blown your nose sorely, drops for dry eyes, cool packs to relieve headaches or reduce fever and enough handkerchiefs. Ask your pharmacy whether they offer a delivery service if something is missing. Sometimes drugs are only prescribed during the course of the disease.
Hospital admission: just in case
Even if the majority of omicron cases do not lead to hospital admission, it is advisable to have a packed bag ready with what you need for hospital admission: bathrobe, slippers, nightwear, underwear, toiletry bag, your own medication, health insurance card , a bit of money… If you’re so bad that you call an ambulance, you don’t have the strength or the head to look for these things anymore.
Neighborhood help with garbage and mailbox
It’s the banal things that you often don’t even think about: who takes the stinking garbage down, who empties the overflowing mailbox? Talk to your neighbors whether they can now and then dispose of the rubbish that you put in front of the door. Put the mailbox key under the doormat so you can put the mail out of the box in front of your door.
Prepare addresses of delivery services
Before you stuff your cupboards with all sorts of supplies, it’s a good idea to also make a list of grocery delivery services that also allow you to pre-pay to avoid personal contact by paying at the front door. The same applies to pizza services, etc. Perhaps friends or neighbors also offer to regularly leave their purchases in front of the door.
What foods and supplies should you have at home?
It is also advisable to stock up on longer-lasting foods such as rice, pasta, pesto sauces, canned soups, ready meals or frozen goods such as pizzas or fruit – everything that can be prepared quickly. But don’t count on the fact that you are in any case in a good condition to cook a soup. If you are so exhausted that even this is too much for you, it must go without any preparation.
Some swear by cold ravioli from old student days. But also baby jars, muesli or muesli bars, biscuits, rice cakes, long-life wholemeal bread or anything else where the effort is limited to opening the package is helpful. This is especially true for those who live alone. In the case of a sick family, one can at least hope that it doesn’t all get the same thing.
Make sure you have enough drinks too. Especially those who suffer badly from a cough will have to drink a lot. If you don’t just want to drink water, you should get spritzers or teas. Warm tea is particularly good for coughs. And of course not to forget: toilet paper and toiletries. However, hamsters are not necessary – you only have to survive for a limited time.
What to do when fear and loneliness take over?
Especially people who have to go through an illness situation alone can suffer from fear and loneliness. The burden can become so great that you can no longer handle it alone. Do not be afraid to tell your friends and acquaintances about your needs or to call the telephone counseling service on 0800/1110111.
What to do with the pet
Walking the dog in particular becomes a problem. You are not allowed to leave the apartment, even if you are well. Therefore, talk to other dog owners in good time about who could walk your dog if the worst comes to the worst.
If you are also feeling very bad, clarify who could take care of your pet for the time being. In the worst case, you should have the addresses of animal boarding houses ready.
Can you prevent family members from becoming infected?
In order to prevent other family members from becoming infected, a little discipline is required with the following measures: consistently wearing an FFP-2 mask, separating the table and bed, regularly airing the rooms and hygiene measures. However, this is hardly possible with small children. You need affection.
Take control of the apartment
The Twitter user @Symposiarchin describes in a thread how she experienced her Covid disease and what experiences she gained during this time. One of her tips: get the apartment in good time in a condition that you can endure for two weeks or more.
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