Have You Been Exposed to Someone With COVID-19? Here’s What to do Next

Millions worldwide have been affected by coronavirus. Many have had to stay home for extended amounts of time to avoid the virus. Even so, many of us need to leave home for important reasons, such as grocery shopping or a doctor’s appointment. With more states opening up again, many people are out and about. This does not mean that coronavirus simply went away. Anyone, even those who previously had COVID-19, could potentially become infected. 

With people visiting crowded restaurants and bars again, exposure risk is at an all-time high. Even in small spaces with loved ones, you are at risk. If you have been within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for around 15 minutes, provided care to someone with COVID-19 at home, or had direct physical contact with a person with COVID-19 (such as kissing, hugging, or touching), you may have coronavirus. Additionally, if you share eating utensils or get respiratory droplets on yourself from a person with COVID-19 coughing or sneezing, you could have coronavirus. 

COVID-19 Symptoms 

Just as there are many ways to come into contact with coronavirus, there are many COVID-19 symptoms. These symptoms can vary in a person. They can also present as mild to severe symptoms. COVID-19 symptoms include: 

• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Loss of taste or smell 
• Headaches
• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Cough
• Congestion 

After exposure, you can display COVID-19 symptoms within 2-14 days. If you are showing any of these symptoms or know you have had exposure to coronavirus, you will want to firstly self-quarantine. 

Stay At Home 

The first step to take after finding out you have been in direct contact with someone who has coronavirus is to stay home. Stay away from others, especially those who are at high risk of getting extremely ill from COVID-19 (elderly and immunocompromised adults). You will be required to stay at home for 14 days. During this time, you will need to keep a close eye on your health. If you aren’t showing symptoms, you will be waiting to see if any symptoms occur. If you have symptoms, you will want to make sure they stay mild. Be mindful of your temperature. If you have a fever, you may want to consider getting a COVID-19 test. 

If you go through your quarantine without showing any symptoms, you may have avoided coronavirus. However, some do not present symptoms. By getting your blood examined, you can tell if you have previously had coronavirus. If you want to be sure if you have coronavirus or not, you could search for a COVID-19 test. 

When to Get a Test 

If you present any symptoms of COVID-19 or have had exposure to someone who has it, you will want to get a COVID-19 test. If you are unsure, you can contact BASS Urgent Care to have a Telehealth consultation. During this consultation, we will determine if your symptoms warrant a test for coronavirus. From there, we will make any necessary appointments for testing. When you test with us, you have the option of staying inside your vehicle or entering our low-risk facility. We will have your test results back to you within 48-72 hours. BASS Urgent Care is here for you during this troubling time. We will make sure that your test is as comfortable as possible and that your results are back quickly. To book an appointment, call us at (925) 329-3718 or visit us online.