Coronavirus is also called COVID-19 (Corona-Virus Disease – 2019)
Updated information can be found Vic Health and Human services website
- https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
- The COVID-19 hotline is available 24 hours, 7 days on 1800 675 398
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- Fever
- Cough
- Muscle pains
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Loss of taste and smell
One third of people who get COVID-19 may have no symptoms. 80% of patients have a mild illness. However, the remaining 20% can get sick and need to go to hospital due to breathing difficulty.
You are more likely to get severe illness if you are over the age of 80 or have other medical diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, cancer, high blood pressure or are very overweight.
What should I do if I have symptoms of COVID-19?
- Get tested for COVID-19
- Self quarantine until you get a negative test result and your symptoms have resolved
- Take universal precautions (listed below)
- If you are unwell and in need of medical care:
- Call Lung and Sleep and make a telehealth appointment with one of our specialists
- Call your GP
- Call the COVID-19 hotline – 1800 675 398
- Call Nurse on call – 1300 60 60 24
- If you are very unwell and in need of urgent medical care, call 000 immediately or present to your nearest emergency department
How COVID-19 spreads
- Close contact with an infectious person within 1.5m
- Contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
- Touching objects or surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face
Universal precautions – which we should all follow
- Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 sec or use alcohol based hand wash
- Cover your mouth and nose when cough or sneeze – wash your hands immediately after cough or sneeze
- Avoid close contact with others and avoid crowded places
- Avoid touching your eyes and mouth
- Clean surfaces, benches and handles that you touch
- Maintain 1.5m distance from other people
- Wear a mask if you are in an area where it is not possible to maintain 1.5m from other people
Safety of our patients and staff:
- Lung and Sleep has a COVID safe plan to maintain the safety of our patients, staff, and broader community
- All patients and staff must use alcohol-based hand rub on entry and exit of BSC
- All patients and staff must wear a facemask
- All touched surfaces are cleaned regularly throughout the day, particularly between consultations
- Staff should wash hands frequently throughout the day especially before eating, drinking and after any contact with patients
- Everyone should exercise Universal precautions
What is the treatment of COVID-19?
- There is no treatment for the virus
- Treatment is “supportive’ measures
- This means that treatment is to prevent spread and keep patients comfortable as possible. Those who are very sick may need hospital care for oxygen and more intensive support
- It is very important at this time, that you continue to take all medications as prescribed by your doctor
Lung and Sleep remains open during this difficult time with COVID-19. We are able to see you in-person for consultation at Bentleigh Specialist Centre, Maryvale Hospital and in Wonthaggi. Our clinics have strict COVID safe measures in place to ensure that they are a very safe environment for you to visit. We also provide consultation by telehealth to allow you to have your consultation from home. Telehealth appointments are conducted by video conference using Zoom.
We are here to help you in this difficult time.
We understand there is a lot of concern and worry regarding COVID-19 and its impact on your health, particularly if you have lung disease or other medical conditions.
It is important not to neglect your other health issues due to COVID-19. Ensuring that your lung health is optimised is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of COVID-19.
Please make an appointment so that we can help you.
