What to do after being infected with COVID-19?
Citizens receive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) checks at a regular sample collection kiosk in Shanghai.
Shanghai's top COVID experts have urged people to stay calm even if they are infected with COVID-19, because most cases can recover at home.
Ning Guang, president of Ruijin Hospital, and Yuan Zheng'an, a member of Shanghai's COVID-19 experts' team, offered tips on the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infections during Shanghai's COVID press briefing on Thursday.
For adults
Most cases have no symptoms and need no treatment. The possible symptoms include: dry throat, sore throat, cough, fatigue and fever. It normally takes seven to 10 days for a positive case to turn negative.
Treatment: Only a small part of the "high-risk" groups needs to go to hospitals after being infected. The high-risk groups include people under 65 years with unstable underlying diseases and without full vaccination; people between 65-80 years with unstable underlying diseases and people over 80 years even after getting the full three courses of vaccines.
People should go to hospital or contact community doctors if they suffer fever for more than three days, have difficulty in breathing and if their underlying diseases worsen. Internet hospitals are recommended.
For children and infants
There is no need to go to hospitals after children show symptoms such as fever, cough and running nose, because there are risks of cross-infections.
The fever will last for about three days. Children can drink more water, avoid too tight clothing and take some febrifuge if it is necessary.
Infants with over three days of high fever and in poor condition, such as showing symptoms like short-breath, difficulty in breathing, drowsiness, resistance to food, difficulty in feeding, persistent diarrhea and vomiting, should be rushed to hospital.
Infants under three months with fever must be taken to hospital immediately.
Tips for home quarantine:
1. Live separately or in a well-ventilated separate room.
2. Use a table or desk to convey stuff without contact with others.
3. Use separate air-conditioning system.
4. Use separate toilet, with timely disinfection.
5. Prepare a thermometer, tissues, masks, disposable gloves, disinfectants, a covered garbage bin and other personal protective equipment.
6. People living together with a positive case should conduct antigen self-tests regularly.
7. The quarantine can be lifted after antigen tests and two PCR tests return negative results.
