What To Do If You Have COVID | The Ismaili Canada

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What To Do If You Have COVID

December 31, 2021 | Canada

Included below is guidance on what you and your family should do if you test positive for COVID-19, or are a close contact of someone with COVID. This information includes general guidance - please refer to specific guidance from your provincial government for your local requirements and restrictions, or seek information and support from your healthcare provider.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if mild:

  1. You should self-isolate, including from others living in your household.
  2. Review your province’s COVID guidelines to determine if you should get tested. Because of demand on testing facilities, the criteria for testing (including who is recommended to get tested and the type of test, e.g. PCR, at-home rapid antigen test) will continue to evolve. Some provinces recommend PCR testing be limited to those with high risk of severe outcomes and those who work in high-risk settings. Make sure to continue to self-isolate while you wait for your results.
  3. If your test is negative BUT you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should continue to self-isolate. A negative test does not rule out infection.  Once your symptoms have stopped for 24 hours (or 48 hours for gastrointestinal symptoms), you can stop self-isolating.
  4. If your test is positive, you are required to self-isolate according to your provincial guidelines. For most provinces and territories, you are required to self-isolate for 10 days, although there may be different requirements depending on your jurisdiction.
  5. Notify those with whom you live, or have had contact with for more than 15 minutes in the last two days. This is important to prevent the virus from spreading in your community. By notifying your close contacts, you are helping to protect your friends and loved ones.
  6. Monitor your symptoms. If you develop severe symptoms call 911, or your local emergency number. Severe symptoms include: significant difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, new onset of confusion and difficulty waking up. If you are ever unsure or concerned about your COVID-19 symptoms, you can also call your physician or local health line to get guidance from a healthcare professional.

How to self-isolate

If you are looking for guidance on how to self-isolate if you live in a shared household, or care for someone with COVID-19, you can read this resource from the Government of Canada.

If you are a close contact

Remember you can still spread COVID-19 even if you are showing no symptoms. A close contact is generally someone who has been near a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes when health and safety measures were not in place, or were insufficient (e.g. living with someone, a face-to-face social gathering indoors).

  1. If you are unvaccinated, you should self-isolate immediately. Remember, symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19 and you can still spread COVID-19 during this time. In many provinces self-isolation is required if you are unvaccinated - refer to your local provincial health regulations for guidance.
  2. If you are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the last 90 days, in most provinces you are not required to self-isolate as long as you do not have symptoms. However, you should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days from the day you last had contact with the person who has COVID-19. If you have symptoms, self-isolate right away.
  3. Review your province’s COVID guidelines to determine if you should get tested. If available and recommended in your province,  get tested or take an at-home rapid antigen test for COVID following your exposure. A test will be most accurate about 5-7 days following a potential exposure. Please note, due to limited testing capacity in many provinces the criteria for testing including who is recommended to get tested and the type of test will change frequently.
  4. If available and recommended in your province, aim to get tested, or take an at-home rapid test for COVID following your exposure. A test will be most accurate about 5-7 days following a potential exposure.
  5. Take extra precautions such as physical distancing, wearing a mask indoors, and washing or sanitizing your hands often.
  6. You should not see or visit individuals who are at greater risk of severe COVID-19 (e.g. immunocompromised individuals, individuals over the age of 70) or visit high-risk settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools or childcare settings for 14 days.

For those who have tested positive for COVID-19, or have close contacts who have tested positive, please feel free to reach out to the confidential ACCESS Line or your local Aga Khan Health Board members for additional support or guidance.

We pray for the health and well-being of all those affected, wherever they may be.

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