The number of patients infected with the Corona virus or COVID-19 is increasing day by day. So that the level of spread does not get worse, the government advises the public to stay at home and implement self-isolation protocols, especially for those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
If you need a COVID-19 test, click on the link below so you can be directed to the nearest health facility:
- Rapid Test Antibodies
- Antigen Swab (Rapid Test Antigen)
- PCR
The self-isolation protocol was issued by the government with the aim of reducing the transmission of COVID-19. Because the Corona virus is very easy to spread and can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.
This protocol is not for everyone. Here are the ones recommended for self-isolation protocols:
- Confirmed COVID-19 by PCR examination, but have no symptoms of COVID-19 or only have mild symptoms, such as cough, fever, or sore throat that can be treated at home
- Get a positive result on the antigen rapid test and can't confirm it by PCR
- Make contact with people who are positive for COVID-19
- Confirmed positive during exit test during quarantine
However, self-isolation can only be performed on people who:
- Under 45 years old
- Do not have co-morbidities, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, or chronic lung disease
- Have a house with separate rooms for each occupant
- Have a bathroom in the house
If any of the above conditions are not met, isolation needs to be carried out in a place provided by the government or kelurahan.
Self-Isolating Protocols That Need To Be Implemented
The first thing you need to do is report yourself to the nearest puskesmas, if indeed your case is not known. This is important so that you enter into the monitoring of a health facility. In addition, reporting is also needed so that the puskesmas can carry out close contact investigations.
Self-isolation is carried out for at least 10 days or until the patient meets the criteria for recovering from COVID-19. Here are things you need to do during self-isolation at home according to government recommendations:
1. Not doing activities outside the house
If you are in isolation, you are not allowed to leave the house or go to public places even for work. If possible, work from home during isolation. If you are sick, you are advised to rest for a while until you recover.
If you previously had symptoms and recovered in less than 10 days, you should still stay at home and wait until the isolation period is over. It is also not recommended that you receive guests.
If during the isolation period there is a need to go outside, such as buying food or medicine, ask other people who are not in isolation or quarantine to do so. You can also take advantage of online service applications to fulfill your daily needs.
2. Avoid close contact with people who live in the same house
While at home, you are advised to be in a separate room from other residents of the house. Rooms are recommended to have good ventilation and lighting. As much as possible, try to keep the self-isolation room from being entered by other residents of the house.
To minimize contact with householders, communicate by telephone, video call, or a short message. To deliver the food or items you need, other householders are advised to deliver it to the front door of the room and you can pick it up after he leaves.
In certain conditions that make you stay in the same room with other occupants of the house, keep your distance or physical distancing, especially with people who are vulnerable to COVID-19, such as the elderly, chronic disease owners, and pregnant women.
Physical distancing what is meant is to maintain a minimum distance of 2 meters from other occupants and avoid speaking face to face for 15 minutes or more.
3. Wear a mask
Even at home, you are still advised to wear a mask, which is a type of mask surgical masks. This is done to prevent transmission to your family or people in the same household as you.
4. Use separate equipment
During self-isolation, use separate plates, spoons, forks and glasses. Likewise with toiletries, such as towels and toothbrushes. Also provide a special trash can or plastic bag to dispose of the tissue you use for coughing, sneezing, and cleaning your mouth or nose and other trash.
Instead, use a different bathroom with other residents. If this is not possible, disinfect the bathroom after each use, especially on items that have been touched, such as faucets, shower handles or dippers, and flush toilet.
Other householders are also advised to always clean the surfaces of objects that are often touched or shared, such as sinks, doorknobs, or telephones, with a liquid disinfectant.
5. Wash clothes separately
The clothes you use must be washed separately from other occupants. Therefore, ask other residents to provide a laundry basket to put your dirty clothes.
The washing process that must be considered by residents who wash your clothes are:
- Always use gloves and a mask when washing clothes.
- Wash clothes using detergent and water at a temperature of 60–90 degrees Celsius, then dry immediately.
- Wash hands immediately after washing dirty clothes.
- Wash or disinfect the laundry basket and the area around the washbasin using a disinfectant solution.
6. Take advantage of the service telemedicine
To keep your health monitored, you can take advantage of the service telemedicine from the Indonesian Ministry of Health in collaboration with several health applications, such as Alodokter.
Through service telemedicine, you can consult a doctor virtually and convey the complaints you feel. From the results of this consultation, the doctor will direct you to the things that need to be done while undergoing self-isolation.
Doctors can also prescribe medicines to relieve your symptoms, if needed
7. Apply clean and healthy lifestyle
Wash your hands with soap and water regularly. Do not forget to drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses a day, and consume nutritious foods and supplements or vitamins that are recommended by your doctor. In addition, keep cleaning items in your room regularly, especially those that are frequently touched.
During self-isolation, dry your body and do light exercise regularly in the sun every morning for 15–30 minutes, so that your body is fitter and heals faster.
8. Measure body temperature and oxygen levels regularly
Make sure that you have a thermometer and oximeter. It is important to have a thermometer to monitor body temperature regularly. While the oximeter is used to measure oxygen levels in the blood and alert happy hypoxia.
9. Keep in touch with the closest people
Even though you have to isolate yourself at home, it doesn't mean you have limited communication with those closest to you. You can still keep in touch with family members and friends over the phone, video calls, or social media.
It is important to communicate with those closest to you during the isolation period, so you don't experience stress and loneliness.
10. Call the hospital
Monitor symptoms that appear periodically. If you have a fever, you should take drugs that contain paracetamol according to the instructions for use listed on the drug packaging. Likewise with doses of other drugs consumed during self-isolation.
If in the middle of the isolation period new complaints appear or your complaints become worse, for example, a high fever accompanied by a persistent cough and difficulty breathing, immediately contact the hospital or the COVID-19 hotline (119 ext 9) for treatment.
Likewise, if the results of checking oxygen levels are below 95 percent, you are advised to immediately contact the nearest hospital, even if you do not feel any symptoms of shortness of breath.
So that other people do not get infected, you are advised to stay at home. If necessary, the hospital will send a special ambulance to pick you up.
Isolation at home can be tough for some people. However, this simple method is effective in protecting you, your family and those around you, even the entire Indonesian community from COVID-19.
Regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms and contact with people who have or are suspected of having COVID-19, everyone is advised to stay at home and limit activities outside the home, especially those involving large numbers of people. Whenever possible, ask for options to work or study from home.
This is done because the Corona virus or SARS-CoV-2 can spread easily even from people who do not feel symptoms, especially after the emergence of the delta variant of COVID-19. So, a person can be infected or transmit this virus to many people without knowing it.
If you are still unsure whether you need to self-isolate at home, consult a doctor via chat on the Alodokter application. In addition, you can also do consultations in this application regarding any health problems, whether related to COVID-19 or not, so you don't have to leave the house.