What to do if family/household member tests positive for COVID-19

The following information was released by the Barton County Health Department.

If you or a family/household member tests positive for COVID-19 please isolate at home per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines below.

If you have not received a call from a Barton County Health Department representative, please call them at (417) 682-3363. The health department is not always given a phone number or a working phone number from the State of Missouri.

When tested, please make sure the provider has all current address and a working phone number. If they do not have the correct information, the health department does not get the correct information.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines: Stay home except to get medical care. Stay home. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.

Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen to help you feel better. Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get medical care if you have trouble breathing or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency.

Avoid public transportation, ride sharing, or taxis. Ask family, friends or delivery service deliver food/necessities to your home. Have the items left at your door. Do not allow anyone in your home unless absolutely necessary.

Separate yourself from other people. As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home. If possible, use a separate bathroom. If a separate bathroom is not available, clean and disinfect bathroom surfaces after each use. If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a cloth face covering and ensure the area is well ventilated.

Monitor your symptoms. Symptoms of COVID-19 fever, cough or other symptoms. Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider and local health department. Your local health authorities may give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.

When to seek emergency medical treatment: Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately! They are: Bluish lips or face; severe and constant pain or pressure in the chest; extreme difficulty breathing (such as gasping for air, being unable to talk without catching their breath, severe wheezing, nostrils flaring); new disorientation (acting confused); unconscious or very difficult to wake up; slurred speech or difficulty speaking (new or worsening); new or worsening seizures; signs of low blood pressure (too weak to stand, dizziness, lightheaded, feeling cold, pale, clammy skin), dehydration (dry lips and mouth, not urinating much, sunken eyes).

This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility. Notify the operator/dispatcher that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19. Call ahead before visiting your doctor. Many medical visits for routine care may be postponed or done by phone or telemedicine. If you have a medical appointment that cannot be postponed, call your doctor’s office and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the office protect themselves and other patients.

If you are sick wear a cloth covering over your nose and mouth. You should wear a cloth face covering, over your nose and mouth if you must be around other people or animals, including pets (even at home). You do not need to wear the cloth face covering if you are alone. If you cannot put on a cloth face covering (because of trouble breathing, for example), cover your coughs and sneezes in some other way. Try to stay at least six feet away from other people. This will help protect the people around you. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age two years, anyone who has trouble breathing or anyone who is not able to remove the covering without help.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw away used tissues in a trash can lined with a trash bag. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

Clean your hands often (family/household members too!). Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, going to the bathroom and before eating or preparing food. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Soap and water are the best option, especially if hands are visibly dirty. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people in your home. Wash these items thoroughly after using them with soap and water or put in the dishwasher.

Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom, wear disposable gloves. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but you should clean your bedroom and bathroom, if possible. If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and disposable gloves prior to cleaning. They should wait as long as possible after the person who is sick has used the bathroom before coming in to clean and use the bathroom.

High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables.

Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them. Use household cleaners and disinfectants. Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use a household disinfectant. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Many products recommend keeping the surface wet for several minutes to ensure germs are killed. Many also recommend precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product. Most EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.

If you are sick with COVID-19 (either suspected or confirmed by a test), you should restrict contact with your pets and other animals, just like you would with people. Until more is known about this virus, people sick with COVID-19 should avoid contact with pets and other animals. When possible, have another member of your household care for your pets while you are sick. Avoid contact with your pet including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, sharing food and sleeping in the same bed. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wear a mask and wash your hands before and after you interact with them.

If you are sick with COVID-19 and your pet becomes sick, do not take your pet to the veterinary clinic yourself. Call your veterinarian and let them know you have been sick with COVID-19. Some veterinarians may offer telemedicine consultations or other plans for seeing sick pets. Your veterinarian can evaluate your pet and determine the next steps for your pet’s treatment and care.