Life + Style: I have a coronavirus in my family, what do I do now?

On Friday morning, 459 new coronavirus infections were reported, but the numbers have been growing for some time and breaking records in Hungary. This in itself may seem alarming, but it must be borne in mind that in practice these diseases affect many more people than those in the statistics: in the 14 days after receiving a positive test, the lives of those living in the same home will change radically.

This means that up to a thousand people a day can find the answer: what to do if someone lives with a coronavirus infection?

The first question is obviously: who infected the patient? According to reports so far, the authorities do not facilitate the clarification of this, and several of our readers have denounced a chaotic process. Anita, for example, asked for a test for her son, who is suspected to be a coronavirus, but it came so slowly that when the ambulance finally ran into a private road, the asymptomatic father was found to be infected. However, despite this or the presence of a child with symptoms of the disease, the mother was not immediately tested because “she is not on the list that day and will come back if she gets up.”

And a father, whose children trained with a child with coronavirus on a sports field, said that the GP had asked them for a voluntary 10-day quarantine, but that they could not be tested because they were asymptomatic.

In fact, according to the current procedures of the National Center for Public Health, close contact (those who live in the same home with the infected person, have had personal contact with him or have even sat next to each other in a aircraft) will only be tested for symptoms. In the case of all others, the two-week quarantine remains, in many cases in an airspace with the suspect or family member of the coronavirus already tested.

Isolation and disinfection

However, official government briefings no longer tell us what protocol to follow if we want to not only care for our sick family members in the two weeks, but also make sure that the rest of the family does not contract the coronavirus. Cecília Müller, National Chief, addressed the issue once or twice in the daily press conferences of the operational staff, but in addition to sharing the bathroom and ventilating frequently, the infected person should not be of much help. .

Katalin Várdi, a pulmonologist and inspector at the InspiroMed Sleep Clinic and Respiratory Center, previously gave hvg.hu much more advice. She suggested that if someone is shown to be infected or has symptoms themselves, they should definitely isolate themselves.

• If we can, we have a separate room, or if it is not possible, we must also do our best to separate ourselves from others and adhere to hygiene standards.
• Please do not leave our designated place, put food with our family in front of the door, but do not enter.
• Use a separate bathroom if we can. If there is only one, we use it at a different time than the others and disinfect it each time.
• Store and collect clothes, towels and bedding separately and wash them at high temperature.
• Anyone suspected of being ill should wear a mask at home and ventilate the room very often and with great force because the virus is transmitted by droplet infection.
• According to the expert, it is worth holding the handle with a disinfectant cloth, disinfecting larger surfaces, and giving the patient a separate towel, a toothbrush kit, their own set of cutlery, and always return the same to the patient.

Similar precautions are listed in the Semmelweis University Guide, which is specifically for those caring for a coronavirus-infected family member at home. In addition to isolating the infected, they also point out that when you are still leaving the room, be sure to wear a mask. And if it is not possible to use a separate bathroom (this is the case in the vast majority of Hungarian households), establish the order in which the family uses the common areas and when. The patient should be the last, followed by a complete disinfection.

Although it is cumbersome, the patient must eat in his own room, and after use, all plates, glasses, cups and cutlery must be washed thoroughly, it is best to do it with a dishwasher. Otherwise, wear gloves to wash your hands and wipe dishes with a dish towel that other people don’t use, which should also be kept in a sick room.

All clothing, bedding, towels and tea towels should be washed at least 60 ° C separately from other items with normal detergent. Dry at the highest temperature that clothes can withstand.

Watch for symptoms

For asymptomatic or coronavirus-infected family members, it is essential to protect yourself: always wear a mask, wear gloves, and wash your hands regularly, warns Semmelweis University.

When removing protective equipment, first remove and discard the gloves, then wash your hands immediately with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Then remove and discard the mask and wash your hands immediately again.

Any waste or garbage, including used tissues or nasal masks that the patient has come in contact with, should be thrown into a plastic garbage bag and the bag closed when full. The plastic garbage bag must be placed in a second garbage bag, which must also be sealed. This can now be ruled out in the usual way. Then wash your hands immediately (with soap or alcohol sanitizer).

Because the new type of coronavirus is characterized by a worsening of the condition of the most serious patients at night, they must be constantly monitored and ambulances must be notified immediately if a negative change is observed. However, it is worth supporting the patient spiritually, since it is not easy to live with someone who is infected; Fortunately, the college guide offers plenty of tips for that too.