Is there any reason for individuals to be afraid of going to health centres to attend their appointments out of fear of being infected with COVID-19?

There is no need to be afraid of going to any emergency appointment provided that the necessary precautions are taken when leaving the house, such as:

• Wearing a medical or cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth well.
• Maintaining a distance of at least two meters between you and others.
• Avoiding touching surfaces as much as possible. In such a case, hands should be washed with soap and water for 40 seconds or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer (60% concentration) for 20 seconds.
• Make sure to book an appointment before you go and arrive on time.
• Refrain from sitting in crowded waiting areas.

What is the reason behind the different isolation (quarantine) periods for confirmed cases and those who have been in contact with them?

The isolation (quarantine) period varies based on the condition of each case:

• A confirmed case that did not show any symptoms should isolate at home for a period of 10 days after receiving their positive test result and is considered a recovered case without the need to take a test provided that they complete the full isolation period without showing any symptoms.
• A confirmed case that showed symptoms should isolate at home for a period of at least 10 days; the days should be calculated since the symptoms first appeared. The isolation period ends within at least 3 days after the disappearance of symptoms (e.g. Not having a fever nor showing any respiratory symptoms, “such as coughing and shortness of breath”), then they are considered a recovered case without the need to take a test, provided that they have spent at least 10 days since the symptoms first appeared and the doctor sets this period according to the evaluation of each case’s symptoms.
• The case that has been in contact with a confirmed case should isolate at home for a period of 14 days; the days should be calculated since the symptoms first appeared on the confirmed case that this case contacted. As this period is the incubation period of the disease during which symptoms are expected to appear.

When a person is waiting for their “COVID-19 test” results, do they transmit the infection to others?

It is possible for an infected individual to transmit the infection, especially if they have symptoms that are suspected to be COVID-19  symptoms, thus isolation must be adhered to.

How are children under 15 years old tested for COVID-19?

By using nasal swabs that are in suitable sizes for children.

How are dialysis patients treated after being confirmed infected with COVID-19?

The patient is isolated in a dedicated health facility that provides the necessary care for patients with kidney diseases.

Is loss of smell and taste a sign of COVID-19 infection?

Loss of smell and taste may occur with many respiratory infections that affect the respiratory system, such as with the common cold. This symptom was recorded as a secondary sign for (COVID-19 ) patients, but it is not among the major signs and symptoms of  suspected infection according to the approved guidelines.

I have coronavirus-like symptoms, how can I be sure?

In the event of symptoms such as (high temperature), you can go to “ Tetamman” clinics without the need to book an appointment in order to evaluate your condition and receive medical care. In the absence of symptoms, an appointment can be booked in BeSure (Ta’kaad) centres through Sehhaty application.

What are the appropriate procedures to follow if an individual was in contact with someone who was in contact with a confirmed case?

If an individual was in contact with a confirmed case, they must isolate themself from everyone in a separate room as much as they can for a period of 14 days; calculated since the symptoms first appeared on the confirmed case that this individual contacted. When symptoms such as high temperature, coughing or shortness of breath start appearing, the individual should go to “ Tetamman” clinics without the need to book an appointment to take a test and confirm their infection. In the absence of symptoms, an appointment can be booked in BeSure (Ta’kaad) centres through Sehhaty application

When does the infected individual start calculating the isolation (quarantine) period?

If the infected individual does not have any symptoms, the isolation period is calculated from the date they received the first positive test results and should last for 10 days, then the isolation period ends without the need to take a test if they are not showing any symptoms.

• If the individual has symptoms and haven’t received their test results yet, the isolation period should be calculated since the symptoms first appeared and it ends when the infected individual spends at least 3 days in isolation after the absence of the symptoms and they no longer have a fever (without using antipyretic medication) nor any respiratory symptoms (such as coughing and shortness of breath). Then they are considered a recovered case without the need to take a test, provided that they have spent at least 10 days since the symptoms first appeared and the doctor sets this period according to the evaluation of each case’s symptoms

What are the procedures that must be followed by infected individuals during their home isolation?

The following steps should be followed to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 during home isolation, the infected individual must:

• Make sure to rest, eat healthy food, eat lots of vegetables and fruits, and drink plenty of fluids.
• Stay home except for emergency medical care.
• Monitor any (COVID-19) symptoms such as fever, cough or other symptoms and manage them as much as possible (e.g. take antipyretic medication when your temperature rises (e.g.Paracetamol).
• Isolate in a certain room and away from other people and pets at home as much as possible.
• Use a separate toilet if possible, however, if a shared toilet is used, it must be sterilized and disinfected after each use.
• Wear a medical or cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth when they are around other people at home, to prevent the transmission of the virus to them.
• Cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and dispose it in the trash bin, and immediately wash their hands with soap and water for at least 40 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• Never share dishes, cutlery, or towels with other people at home.
• Wash dishes thoroughly with soap and water after each use or preferably use disposable utensils (cups, plates and spoons).
• Clean and disinfect highly touched surfaces in the room and toilet, with disposable gloves.
• Avoid having visitors, especially visits by people most vulnerable to complications such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.
• Immediately go to the nearest hospital when they develop advanced symptoms such as difficulty breathing.
• Follow your healthcare provider’s care instructions.

What are the procedures that must be followed by the family members when they have an infected individual at home?

Advice for parents when they have a infected individual at home:

• Help the infected individual to follow the doctor’s instructions regarding care and medication.
• Maintain a distance of at least two meters from the infected individual and wear a face mask when engaging with them.
•  Provide a separate bedroom and toilet for the infected individual if possible, if you cannot provide them then try to separate them from other family members as much as possible, while distancing the people most vulnerable to complications from the infected individual.
•  The infected individual should eat his meals alone in his room and should not join the rest of the family.
•  Ensure that the infected individual drinks a lot of warm fluids and has enough rest.
•  Assist them in providing their needs from the stores and getting them their prescriptions.
•  Open the infected individual’s room window to allow fresh air to enter and make sure that the passages shared between the infected individual and the rest of family members at home are well-ventilated.
•  Children under the age of two, anyone with difficulty breathing, or anyone who cannot remove the mask without assistance should wear cloth or medical masks
• When you need to clean after the infected individual, disposable masks and gloves should be used while waiting as long as possible before cleaning and using the toilet room.
• Wear gloves while cleaning any dishes or utensils used by the infected individual, wash them with hot water and soap, or preferably use disposable utensils (cups, dishes and spoons).
• Wash and clean hands after taking off the gloves or dealing with any items used by the infected individual.
• Avoid sharing dishes, cups, towels, bedding, or electronics (such as mobile phones) with the infected individual.

What are the procedures to be followed if an individual’s infection is confirmed and their test results are positive?

They must continue to adhere to isolating themselves after having tested positive and commit to the precautionary measures, such as washing hands and covering the nose and mouth when contacting other people for a period that is set as per the medical evaluation.

What are the mild symptoms that do not require going to the hospital?

Mild symptoms include: (fever, cough, and muscle pain that are accompanied by shortness of breath and sore throat)

What are the severe symptoms that require immediate hospital care?

You should go to the nearest hospital or emergency centre when any of the following symptoms appear:

• Difficulty breathing
• Constant pain or pressure in the chest 
• Having trouble waking up or staying awake
• Skin colour or lips turning to blue

If an individual has mild symptoms, is there a possibility that their condition will relapse, their symptoms become severe and will need to be hospitalized?

Yes, the symptoms of infected individuals who initially had mild symptoms may evolve within a week. In a study of 138 hospitalized patients in Wuhan, patients, who were admitted to the hospital for pneumonia due to the emerging coronavirus, developed shortness of breath within an average of five days since the symptoms appeared. In another study, the average duration was eight days since the symptoms appeared.

In the event that an individual’s condition evolves, does the Red Cross or Ambulance transport the infected individual to the hospital, or do they go to the emergency room by themself?

In the event that the mild symptoms evolve to a more severe condition, you should call (937) to know the appropriate guidance. If the condition is an emergency (e.g. severe shortness of breath), you should contact the Red Crescent.

What are the hospitals that accept COVID-19 emergency patients?

In stable cases, individuals should go to Rest Assured (Tetamman) Clinics; their locations are posted on MOH’s website. However, in severe cases, they should go to an emergency room.

I am old and have some chronic diseases. I am infected with COVID-19; I have mild symptoms and I am currently isolating at home. Is there anyone from MOH who follows up on my condition or is there no need for follow-up?

When the test results are confirmed, the infected individual is contacted by an MOH representative and the location of isolation is determined, according to their symptoms and health condition, to be able to follow their condition closely.

What are the chronic diseases that put an individual at higher risk of severe COVID-19? complications?

The elderly and those with chronic diseases are more likely to have serious complications when developing COVID-19. Chronic diseases include:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Chronic lung diseases
• Cancer (especially hematological malignancies and lung cancer).
• Chronic kidney diseases
• Obesity
• Immune deficiency and liver diseases

When does the individual’s temperature that was in contact with an infected case start increasing?

Symptoms generally begin, including fever, during the incubation period (the time between a person being exposed to the virus and the onset of symptoms) and are generally within 14 days after exposure. Most cases start showing symptoms after approximately four to five days, and the type and order of symptoms differ from one person to another.

How can the infected individual’s health condition be monitored at home?

By monitoring their symptoms and reducing their severity, however when their condition evolves or any the following symptoms appear, they should immediately be taken to the Emergency Room:

• Difficulty breathing
• Constant pain or pressure in the chest.
• Having trouble waking up or staying awake
• Skin colour or lips turning to blue

I have been infected with COVID-19 and I have mild symptoms. What are the medications that I should use, and are there certain foods that I should eat or avoid?

Currently, there is no specific medication for the emerging (COVID-19) pandemic, but you can often relieve its symptoms at home until you recover. Symptoms can be alleviated by following the below:

• When your temperature rises, you should rest and drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration and take antipyretic medication (e.g.  Paracetamol).
• If you have a cough, it is best to avoid lying on your back and lie on your side or sit upright instead, and to help relieve your coughing you can call (937) for medical advice.
• If you feel a slight shortness of breath, try to calm down and not panic, as this can make it worse. Sit straight on a chair, relax your shoulders, and then inhale from the nose while keeping the mouth closed, then slowly exhale from the mouth, noting that if the shortness of breath continues or worsens, you should call (937) or go directly to the nearest hospital.
• Make sure to eat healthy food and a lot of vegetables and fruits that help to enhance your immune system, and completely avoid unhealthy food.
• Drink plenty of warm liquids that help sooth a sore throat.
• Supplements are not meant to treat or prevent COVID-19 infection, but some vitamins and minerals may have effects on how the immune system works to fight an infection, as well as inflammation and swelling, such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc, but they should not be taken without consulting your health care provider.

Are there certain medications that a COVID-19 infected individual should take?

Currently, there is no specific medication for the emerging (COVID-19) pandemic, but you can often relieve its symptoms at home until you recover. Symptoms can be alleviated by following the below:

• When your temperature rises, you should rest and drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration and take antipyretic medication (e.g.  Paracetamol).
• If you have a cough, it is best to avoid lying on your back and lie on your side or sit upright instead, and to help relieve your coughing you can call (937) for medical advice.
• If you feel a slight shortness of breath, try to calm down and not panic, as this can make it worse. Sit straight on a chair, relax your shoulders, and then inhale from the nose while keeping the mouth closed, then slowly exhale from the mouth, noting that if the shortness of breath continues or worsens, you should call (937) or go directly to the nearest hospital.

There are a lot of rumours about Voltaren and Ibuprofen that do not recommend taking them when infected with COVID-19, is this true or not?

There is no clear evidence that taking (Ibuprofen) to treat symptoms such as high temperature makes the Coronavirus symptoms worse. Paracetamol or Ibuprofen can be taken to reduce high temperature, but you should use (Paracetamol) first because it has less side effects than (Ibuprofen) and is the safest option for most people.

After being infected with COVID-19, when do I know that I have recovered?

• Confirmed case with no symptoms:

The test should be taken again after 72 hours. The period of medical isolation ends if the result of the test is negative; and the individual had two negative results (24 hours separating them), however, if this is not possible, then the confirmed case that did not show any symptoms and has spent 10 days or more after the last positive sample is considered a recovered case without the need to take the test again.

• Confirmed case with symptoms:

The infected individual who had mild symptoms and spent 3 days or more after the symptoms disappeared, and they do not have a fever (without using antipyretic medication), nor any respiratory symptoms (in addition to two negative test results (24 hours separating them). If this is not possible, then the confirmed case who had mild symptoms and spent 3 days or more after the disappearance of symptoms such as not having a fever (without using antipyretic medication) and the absence of respiratory symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath is considered a recovered case without the need to take the test again provided that they have spent at least 10 days after the symptoms first appeared, and the doctor sets this period according to the evaluation of each case’s symptoms

Do I have to do another test after recovering from the virus?

It is not entirely necessary to rely on the test results to ensure recovery; it is possible that the test result come positive while the symptoms in the infected individual have disappeared, and it is also possible that the two test samples come negative after complete recovery, and then subsequent samples come positive. Therefore, this can be based on what has already been mentioned about the recovery period which is set by the treating doctor according to each case’s symptoms.

I completed my isolation period and my test results came negative, but I still haven’t regained my sense of smell and taste. Does this mean that the virus is still inside my body?

No, the body may have already recovered, but the loss of smell and taste results from the effect of the virus on the nerve responsible for the sense of smell, and regaining the sense again takes time and is slow even after the symptoms and the virus have disappeared from the body.

How long will it approximately take to regain the sense of smell and taste after being infected?

Regaining the sense of smell and taste can be a slow process, and it is difficult to know exactly when as studies indicate that many patients have recovered their sense of smell within 7-14 days, while other studies on infected individuals showed that the period reached four weeks after the onset of the disease. However, it is advised for those who have not recovered their sense of smell within two weeks, to train themselves to smell different scents to stimulate the nerve responsible for smelling repeatedly, as this training helps in recovering the senses as mentioned in a number of studies.

During home isolation, can infected individuals exercise or not?

Infected individuals who do not have symptoms can exercise and continue doing  moderate-intensity physical activity during home isolation to prevent the transmission of the virus to others while constantly observing the symptoms. If symptoms such as (fever, cough, or shortness of breath) appear, they must stop exercising and contact a health care provider.

Can an individual who has recovered from COVID-19 be infected again?

It is still unknown whether all infected individuals have developed immunity against infection from the virus again, or not. Also, if there were a protective immunity, the protective period acquired from the virus is still under study.

When should the face mask be changed?

• The medical mask should be changed if it becomes wet, dirty, or damaged.
• The cloth mask should be washed if it becomes wet or dirty by either:

• Putting it directly into the washing machine, using hot water, then letting it dry completely.
• Washing them thoroughly by hand with soap and warm/hot water if there is no washing machine

• Make sure to completely dry it before wearing it again.
• Be careful not to leave your masks in shopping carts or on the floor to avoid transmitting the infection to other people.

After being infected with COVID-19, when do I know that I have recovered?

For the confirmed cases with no symptoms, recovery will be after at least 10 days have passed since the first positive sample was taken. As to the confirmed cases with the presence of symptoms, recovery will be after at least 10 days have passed since the symptoms appeared, provided that at least 3 days have passed without respiratory symptoms and a high fever (without using antipyretic medication). In either case, it should be noted that recovery does not require taking a test for confirmation.

After recovering, should I keep wearing the mask

You must continue to adhere to wearing masks even after recovery; in order to limit the transmission of the virus from infected people who do not show symptoms. The mask is not only a means of personal protection but also provides reassurance among society members and serves as a reminder to commit and adhere to the preventive precautions.

If the infected individual has lost his sense of taste and smell during his infection, when do they regain it after recovery?

Regaining your senses can be a gradual process, it can be within weeks and it may take up to months.

When can infected individuals who have recovered be in contact with others again?

They must adhere to the home isolation period until they feel better and complete the full period of isolation, which is 10 days, provided that the last 3 days are free of symptoms. After that, they can go out while maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask and paying attention to personal hygiene.

Should we completely not be in contact with an individual who has been infected?

Infected individuals who have recovered from the virus can go on with their lives just like before being infected while adhering to the guidelines of social distancing and wearing masks.

Can we reduce the precautionary measures when we are in contact with infected individuals who have recovered?

The individual who have recovered should be treated as any individual; with constant commitment to maintaining social distancing and wearing masks with everyone whether a recovered individual or any other individual.

Is it necessary to take a “COVID-19 test” to confirm recovery?

Completion of the isolation period and the disappearance of symptoms for the last 3 days are sufficient to confirm recovery. The laboratory test (COVID-19 test) is a means of diagnosis but has no role in recovery.

Should the COVID-19 test be taken again after the home isolation period ends?

There is no need to take another laboratory test (COVID-19 test) to ensure recovery; as long as you feel better and have completed the isolation period instructions, you should be fine.

After recovering, what should I do with the room I isolated in and the clothes I have worn?

After recovery, sterilize all frequently touched surfaces, such as door handles, light switches, etc., and ventilate the room well. Also, wash the clothes you have worn thoroughly with soap and water. After that, you can return to normal life while taking the precautionary measures.

Can an individual who has recovered from COVID-19 be infected again?

There are not enough studies yet to confirm this.