Overview

 

Coronaviruses are a family of large viruses that can cause illnesses such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory

 

syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012. In 2019 a new Coronavirus emerged

 

and is now known as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It causes the disease known as

 

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak

 

a pandemic.

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How is the virus spread?

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The virus can spread from person to person through:

 

1. close contact with an infectious person (including in the 48 hours before they had symptoms)

2. contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze

3. touching surfaces like door handles or a pen that have droplets from an infected person and then touching your mouth

or face.

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COVID-19 is a new disease, so there is no existing immunity in our community. This means that COVID-19 could spread

 

widely and quickly.

 

Most COVID-19 cases appear to be spread from people who have symptoms. A small number of people may have been

 

infectious before their symptoms developed.

 

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

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Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

 

1. fever (37.5 ° or higher)

2. cough, sore throat

3. tiredness, muscle ache

4. shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)

5. loss of taste and smell

6. runny nose

7. headache

 

You only need to have one symptom to get tested and it can be mild. If you have a symptom, don’t delay, please get

 

tested and self-isolate straight away.

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The incubation period, that is time between when a person is exposed to the virus and when symptoms first appear is

 

typically 5 to 6 days, although may range from 2 to 14 days. For this reason, people who might have been in contact with a

 

confirmed case are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

 

How long does the COVID-19 infection last?

 

The infection period for the virus will vary from person to person. Mild symptoms in an otherwise healthy individual may

 

resolve over just a few days. For people who are likely to be at higher risk of serious illness if they are infected with the

 

virus, recovery may take weeks and in severe cases could be potentially fatal.

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How is COVID-19 diagnosed?

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Infection with COVID-19 is diagnosed by finding evidence of the virus in respiratory samples such as swabs from the back

 

of the nose and throat or fluid from the lungs. Samples for testing can be taken directly by GPs, some private pathology

 

collection centres, at your local COVID-19 testing or drive through clinic, or at public hospitals across NSW. 

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