Information about coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Coronavirus disease (COVID) is a disease that spreads through your mouth and nose. The disease spreads with your breath as droplets too small for the eye to see and attacks the people near you. When you shout, sing, cough or sneeze, the droplets may fly further.

The disease spreads and is infectious even before you yourself notice you have it.

The disease can be very mild, like a common cold, sniffles, a runny nose, a sore throat, a cough, a change in your sense of smell or taste, or just feeling very tired.

Still, the disease can be very serious to people who are old or have poor health. Someone with a mild disease or no symptoms at all can still spread the disease to old people or people with poor health and give them a serious illness.¨

The disease goes away on its own. If the symptoms are serious, hospital treatment may be needed until the disease goes away.

Getting sick with the disease is nobodys fault. But if you get the disease, you must prevent others from getting it while you get better.

Because a person does not know at first that they have the disease, others who have been in close contact with a person with the disease are ordered to quarantine. This is because they might have gotten the disease and may then spread it without knowing it. If a person is known to have the disease, they are put into isolation.

What is a quarantine?

A quarantine means avoiding seeing other people. It is meant to stop others from getting the disease from a person who might have the disease without knowing it. So, a person who has been in close contact with someone who has the disease is ordered to quarantine.

Kela will compensate you if you lose pay because of quarantine.

How long is a quarantine?

The length of a quarantine is 10 to 21 days depending on what kind of close contact you have had with a person with the disease. The purpose of the quarantine is to prevent others from getting the disease before you yourself notice you have it.

Do I need to get tested in quarantine?

If you have no symptoms in quarantine you don’t need to get tested. The test is not very good at finding the virus before you have symptoms.

What is isolation?

If you test positive for coronavirus you are put into isolation in your own home, so that others do not get the disease from you. Isolation is like a quarantine, but its length depends on your symptoms.

How can I help and stop the disease from spreading?

• If you have symptoms like a runny nose, a cough, a sore throat, a change in your sense of smell or taste, a fever, unusual tiredness, do not see other people and don’t go to work or school. Get yourself tested if you have any of these symptoms.
• If your coronavirus test is negative, you must get tested again if you later develop new symptoms or get sick again. The test only shows if you have the disease at that given time.
• A mask that covers your face and mouth helps prevent the disease from spreading. Wear a mask in public places with lots of people. Also wear a mask when for instance taking the bus, taking a taxi or going to a store.
• Keep a safe distance of at least two meters from other people in public places.
• When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a napkin or your elbow pit, do not cough or sneeze into your hand.
• If you have been ordered into quarantine or isolation, please follow the instructions you are given. Do not see other people and do not go to work or to school.
• If you need to get tested for the disease, call 03 311 65333.