ve. And call your doctor if symptoms worsen.
- You have mild to moderate symptoms and are at high risk.
If you’re older than 60 or have underlying health problems, contact your health department or doctor to see about getting tested, even if you are unsure whether you’ve been exposed to the virus. But note that testing may or may not yet be available in your region.
- You have mild to moderate symptoms and know you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Contact your doctor or local public health department to see about getting tested, Hochman advises. Call by phone; don’t just show up at a doctor’s office or other health care setting, such as a clinic or emergency room, he said – the staff may want you to take special precautions, such as using an alternative entrance and wearing a mask upon arrival. Otherwise, you may expose others to the disease, or may be exposed yourself by other sick people.
- You have severe symptoms.
If you have a high fever, a persistent cough that continues to worsen, or shortness of breath that makes it hard to talk, contact a doctor immediately, no matter what your age or risk level. And if it feels like a medical emergency, with significant difficulty breathing for example, call 911, Hochman said. Tell the dispatcher you may have COVID-19 when you call, and if you have a face mask, put it on before emergency personnel arrive.