Coronavirus Discharge — Confirmed or Suspected

You were evaluated in the emergency department (ED) with symptoms concerning for COVID-19. While the diagnosis may feel scary, most cases resolve on their own without hospitalization. Certain high risk people are treated with medications to reduce their risk of serious symptoms. At this time, we feel that you are safe to go home.

 Steps to take at home to care for yourself:

• Get lots of rest and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
• You can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) for fever and body aches as directed on the dosing instructions.
• Certain high-risk people qualify for certain treatments to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 infection. If you are prescribed one of these, please take it as directed. Verify with your pharmacist to make sure it doesn’t interact with any other medications you take.
• If you have questions, call your primary care doctor, contact your local health department, or visit the CDC’s website at gov/covid.
• Speak with your primary care doctor within two weeks to discuss a plan to follow up and about staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccination.

How to avoid spreading the virus to others:

• Stay at home, except if seeking medical care.
• Cover your coughs (with a tissue or in your elbow) and avoid touching your face unnecessarily.
• Wash your hands often (using soap and water for 20 seconds) to decrease your risk of infecting others.
• Try to avoid close contact with others in your home. If possible, use a different bathroom and sleep in a separate room. If you must be near others, be sure everyone wears a face mask.
• If your test did not come back today, you can check the online patient portal or call back within 24 hours for your results.

If your test is positive, you may stop quarantine five days after the start of your symptoms, as long as your fever has been completely gone (without using medications) for at least 24 hours and your other symptoms are improving.

Speak to your doctor or come back to the ED for new or worsening symptoms, such as severe headache, confusion, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or vomiting to the point that you cannot drink fluids. Review medication inserts for side effects and call the ED if you have any questions about the medications or care you received.