By Mikayla van Loon
Unless you’ve had Covid-19, it really is like facing the unknown, particularly when it comes to isolating at home and monitoring your symptoms.
That’s why Mooroolbark resident Rebecca Blowfield put the call out on social media to see how she could best prepare herself for isolating at home when the time came.
The response was largely consistent – prepare frozen meals for when you don’t feel like cooking, have some pain relief and lozenges on hand, disinfect everything and wear masks if there are other people in the house.
Ms Blowfield said having seen the rise in case numbers she felt as though she needed to prepare for the inevitable, particularly if her or her partner were too sick to look after their children.
“We don’t know how each of us will react to the virus and we don’t know whether we’re going to be able to look after the kids when we’re sick. That was my concern,” she said.
St John Ambulance has put together an at home quarantine guide for both the patient and carer with some top tips on how to stay CovidSafe while isolating with others in the house.
The main points were to keep away from others by staying in a bedroom and using a separate bathroom if possible, practice good hygiene and disinfect surfaces and linens regularly.
For those with Covid, staying hydrated is essential, opening windows to keep air flowing will help, have a thermometer close by, use cold compresses to reduce temperatures and take naps to boost the immune system.
Ms Blowfield said while she felt her family would mostly be ok in handling home isolation, she said not everyone in the community would be in the same position and she hopes by reaching out on social media it may have triggered others to prepare early.
“This whole let it rip strategy kind of gives the impression that we’re all okay and when we get it we’re going to be alright but I think that’s the wrong impression to have,” Ms Blowfield said.
“I think there will be some people who will have a bit of difficulty and I think by considering that early and being prepared for the worst helps us all.”
Ms Blowfield said she would love to see social media better utilised in times like this, so that people feel comfortable in reaching out to their community to ask for help or request a special delivery of items if they don’t have family or friends who can do it for them.
Shortly after putting the post out on social media, Ms Blowfield herself received a positive test result and said one of the most positive things, something she didn’t know prior, has been the regular check ins from a nurse.
“Now that I’ve got it, I know there’s a little bit more assistance. So trying to deal with it at home, it’s not as if you’re just on your own. The medical system is still keeping in touch with you, making sure you’re okay while you’re recovering.”
Please contact your healthcare provider or GP for specialised medical advice, the information provided above is general advice and should be used as a guide only.
