I might be infected with Covid-19. What should I do?
If you have fever and respiratory problems (such as coughing and shortness of breath) and have had contact with a patient with the coronavirus or if there is someone in your immediate vicinity who is ill and has been in a country with the coronavirus, you might be infected with the Covid-19 virus.
Do not go to the waiting room of your doctor or to the emergency department of the hospital. Call your doctor and mention your symptoms and contacts.
Basing himself on a procedure, the family doctor can assess for which persons a test for the coronavirus should be considered.
Avoid infecting others. Stay at home or in your room until you know whether you are infected with SARS-CoV-2. Keep your distance from other people. Cover your mouth and nose with a disposable handkerchief when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of the handkerchiefs in a bin with a lid and wash hands. Wash or disinfect your hands regularly, especially after sneezing or coughing.
The test, which screens for a specific genetic code unique to this virus, is carried out on a throat and deep nasal swab. The person to be tested is temporarily placed in an isolation room while waiting for the test results (6-8 hours on average). Tests are carried out at the National Reference Laboratory for respiratory viruses (UZ Leuven), at Sciensano and soon at the UZA laboratory as well.
- If the test result comes back negative (i.e. Covid-19 not found), the person may return home.
- If the test result comes back positive (i.e. Covid-19 was detected), the person will be taken care of in isolation in the hospital.