CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE

•  You have travelled overseas in the 14 days before getting sick.

                      OR

• Had close contact with a confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus, in the 14 days before getting sick.

AND you have ANY of these symptoms:

• Fever 
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

If any of the above applies to you, and you are already a patient at this practice, please CALL us on 02 4990 5600 to arrange a referral to pathology for Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you are NOT a patient of this practice, please contact your usual GP to arrange a referral to pathology for testing.

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 any close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19.

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 have travelled overseas, you must self-isolate at home for 14 days once you arrive back in Australia.    
• If you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, you must self-isolate at home for 14 days from the date of last contact with the confirmed case. 

If symptoms develop whilst in self-isolation, please contact your GP to arrange testing.
Please click the below link for information on self-isolation: 

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-knobs, 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 recent travel history.
• Contact your GP to arrange a pathology referral for Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. (Do not enter the practice if you have symptoms)
• You must self-isolate for 14 days
• You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 to speak with a registered nurse.

There is no specific treatment for people who have COVID-19. Confirmed cases will be isolated to help avoid spreading the disease to others.

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: