Recommendations COVID-19 positive patients
I have been diagnosed with COVID-19. What should I do?
Firstly, the doctor who treated you will determine whether you need to be admitted to hospital or not:
- “I have to stay in hospital”: we will look after you.
- “Can I go home?”:
- You must carry out strict HOME ISOLATION.
- In case of a positive result, you must isolate yourself and notify your close contacts.
- This result will be communicated to the Covid Balearic Centre, from where you will be contacted for telephone follow-up and tracking of your close contacts.
- For any questions you should contact INFO COVID: 900 100 971
Secondly, it is crucial to determine the people in your environment who can be considered CLOSE CONTACTS. These are the parameters that define this:
- Anybody who has been in the same place as you, at a distance of fewer than 2 metres and for more than 15 minutes.
- The period of contact to be considered:
- Two days before the appearance of the symptoms
- In asymptomatic cases confirmed by PCR, from 2 days before the sample is taken
People who are NOT considered close contacts should only look out for the appearance of possible symptoms and take extreme hygiene and safety measures.
People who DO consider themselves close contacts should HOME ISOLATE, and the Health Department will contact them to do their PCR.
The following is a guide to resolve any doubts you may, what you should do at home and safety measures for CO-HABITANTS.
Preventive measures for COVID-19 cases
Information for the patient
Home Isolation
- Do not leave your home until you are told to do so by health professionals.
- You must stay in a single-use room. If this is not possible, stay in a place where you can guarantee a distance of at least two metres from co-habitants.
- The room’s door must be closed.
- The room must have adequate ventilation, directly to the street. There must be no draughts from the heating or cooling system.
- The room must have a rubbish bin, with a pedal-operated lid, and inside there must be a plastic bag for the rubbish that closes hermetically.
- It is advisable to have a daily record of the entry and exit of people who enter the room.
- It is advisable to have a bathroom for exclusive use. If this is not possible, it should be cleaned with household bleach every time you use it.
- It is advisable to have individual use toiletries and products for hand hygiene (soap or hydroalcoholic solution).
- Towels should be changed often and whenever they are wet.
- A mobile phone or intercom (such as those used to monitor babies) should be available to communicate with co-habitants without leaving the room.
- If you have to go to the house’s common areas, put on a surgical mask and wash your hands before leaving the room.
- Always follow respiratory hygiene recommendations: when coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth or nose with a tissue or bend your elbow, and wash your hands immediately afterwards.
- You can not have any visitors during the isolation period. If you want to talk to someone you do not live with, do so by phone or other means.
- If you are a breastfeeding mother, it is advisable to continue to breastfeed. If you have symptoms or confirm the infection, follow the staff’s instructions. In any case, wear a mask when you are near your baby, and carefully cleanse your hands before coming into contact with your baby.
- If you have pets, try to stay away from them. If this is not possible, wash your hands before and after contact.
Rubbish management at home
- Bed linen, towels, etc. should be kept in a bag until washing, do not shake them out before washing. It should be washed with the usual detergent at 60-90°C and left to dry thoroughly.
- The disposable material used by the sick person (gloves, handkerchiefs, masks) and any other waste should be disposed of in a plastic bag (Bag 1) in a waste bin provided in the room, which should have a lid and an opening pedal, without separating it for recycling.
- The plastic bag (Bag 2) should be placed in a plastic bag (Bag 2), which should have a lid and an opening pedal, without separating it for recycling.
- The plastic bag (Bag 1) should be closed and placed in a second rubbish bag (Bag 2), and properly closed before leaving the room.
- The plastic bag (Bag 1) should be closed and placed in a second rubbish bag (Bag 2), and properly closed before leaving the room.
- Bag 2, with the above waste, shall be placed in another rubbish bag (Bag 3) where other household waste can be disposed of. Bag 3 shall also be closed and deposited exclusively in the non-recyclable waste container.
- Always wash your hands after handling the waste.
- Wash your hands after handling the waste.
- Wash your hands after handling the waste.
- Cutlery, glasses and plates and other kitchen utensils should be washed with hot soapy water (or preferably in a dishwasher).
Surface cleaning
- Surfaces that are touched often (bedside table, bed and other bedroom furniture), bathroom and toilet surfaces should be cleaned with disposable material. They should also be disinfected daily with a household disinfectant containing diluted bleach (1 part 5% bleach and 50 parts water) prepared the same day it is to be used.
- The cleaner should wear a face mask and gloves and wash hands after cleaning.
- The cleaner should wear a face mask and gloves and wash hands after cleaning.
- The cleaner should wear a face mask and gloves and wash hands after cleaning.
- More information on the website of the Health Service of the Balearic Islands (ibsalut.es) following the path Citizenship > Taking care of your health > Coronavirus COVID-19 > Preventive measures for COVID-19 cases.
Information for co-habitants
Information for Co-Habitants
- Co-habitants should remain in a different room from the patient and have as little contact as possible. Above all, they must avoid contact with their body fluids – especially mouth or respiratory secretions – and faeces. They must not share with the patient objects for personal use (toothbrush, glasses, plates, cutlery, towels …).
- All co-habitants should wash their hands with soap and water or a water-alcohol solution after any contact with the patient or his/her immediate environment.
- Co-habitants and carers must look out for acute respiratory infection (fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing); if they appear, you should call 902 07 90 79/971 43 70 79.
- The patient must remain in a single room, with the door closed, until the isolation ceases.
- If you must go to the house’s common areas, you should wear a surgical mask and cleanse your hands properly before leaving the room.
- The patient can communicate with co-habitants using a mobile phone or an intercom.
- The patient should often wash his/her hands with soap and water, especially after coughing, sneezing or handling tissues used to cover the mouth when coughing. He/she can also use a water-alcohol solution.
- If possible, it is advisable to have a daily record of the entry and exit of people entering the room.
- Do not invite or allow visitors into your home.
- If there are pets in the house, try to keep them away from the patient.
Protective measures for carers
- Please ensure that only one person cares for the patient. In addition, the patient must not have risk factors for complications of COVID-19: chronic heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, immunosuppression, diabetes or pregnancy.
- The patient must not have any risk factors for complications of COVID-19: chronic heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, immunosuppression, diabetes or pregnancy.
- The patient must wear a surgical mask when the caregiver is nearby.
- The patient must wear a surgical mask when the caregiver is nearby.
- The caregiver must take extreme precautions every time he/she comes into contact with the patient or his/her fluids (blood, faeces, urine, vomit, saliva…). For this reason, he/she must follow these instructions:
- Surgical mask: do not touch the mask while wearing it. If it gets wet or stained with secretion, change it immediately. After use, dispose of it in the waste container with lid and perform hand hygiene.
- Disposable gloves: you must use them for any contact with patient secretions. After use, dispose of them in a covered waste container and perform hand hygiene.
- Dispose of them in a covered waste container and perform hand hygiene.
- Dispose of them in a covered waste container and perform hand hygiene.
- Wash hands often with soap and water or a hydroalcoholic solution after any contact with the patient or their immediate environment.
- Wash hands often with soap and water or a hydroalcoholic solution after any contact with the patient or their immediate environment.
