CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE

• Had close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, in the 7 days before getting sick.

• AND/OR you have ANY of these symptoms:
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose

If any of the above applies to you, please click the link below to find your nearest Covid testing clinic or test yourself at home with a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

*** IMPORTANT: If you have severe difficulty breathing, call triple zero (000) immediately and tell the call handler and the paramedics on arrival about your recent travel history and/or any contact with a COVID-19 positive person.

If you need to visit your local Public Hospital Emergency Department. You must phone the hospital before you arrive and notify them of your symptoms and travel history.

• Cessnock District Hospital - Phone: 02 4991 0555
• The Maitland Hospital - Phone: 02 4939 2000
• The John Hunter Hospital - Phone: 02 4921 3000

• If you test positive for coronavirus, you must self isolate for 5 days or until you have no symptoms. 

Please click the below link for information about testing, isolation and managing Covid-19: 

Practising good hand and sneeze/cough hygiene is the best defence against most viruses.

You should: 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser (e.g. before and after eating, and after going to the toilet)
• Cover your cough with (or sneeze into) a tissue and dispose of it straight away; wash your hands afterwards
• Cough or sneeze into your (flexed) elbow
• Cough away from other people
• Stay more than 1.5 metres away from people when out in public, if possible
• Avoid shaking hands, hugging, kissing or other intimate contact
• Avoid touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles, hand rails or tables); wash your hands afterwards 

• If you have severe difficulty breathing, call triple zero (000) immediately and tell the call handler and the paramedics on arrival about your symptoms.
• Visit your nearest Covid Testing Clinic or self-test with a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
• You must self-isolate for 5 days.
• You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 to speak with a registered nurse.

You may be eligible for anti-viral medication. Please book a consult with your GP to discuss treatment. 

Early diagnosis and general supportive care are important. Most of the time, symptoms will go away on their own. People who have a serious infection, with complications such as pneumonia, can be cared for in hospital.

No, antibiotics are not effective against viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Unnecessary administration of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, which is a serious healthcare problem that affects everyone.

In some patients who develop pneumonia, however, secondary bacterial pneumonia can occur. In this situation, antibiotics are usually required.

The duration of a COVID-19 infection varies from person to person. If you are otherwise healthy, mild symptoms may go away after just a few days. If you have other health problems, such as a lung or heart condition, recovery may take weeks. In really severe cases, COVID-19 can be fatal. 

 For  more information call you can call:

• 24/7 Coronavirus Health Information Line - Phone: 1800 020 080
• Health Direct helpline - Phone: 1800 022 222 - to speak with a registered nurse.

Or visit the Health Direct website by clicking the link below: