What to expect if you get COVID in Malaysia — MySejahtera step-by-step
*I am not a healthcare professional, this is my overview of my experience getting COVID in Malaysia. Please follow the SOP’s and get in touch with your health professionals for the official version.
Well getting Covid sucks, but there are processes in place to get you through it.
It is quite a scary thing to get Covid as you are not sure how you will react to getting ill.
Based on my experience I thought it would be a good idea to explain to you how you need to deal with getting Covid as it is quite likely that it will happen to you.
To start, many of you are under 30 and are in good health without any co-morbidities (high-blood pressure, diabetes etc). This means that you will most likely get horrible cold and flu symptoms but nothing worse than that.
If you do have co-morbidities then you need to take extra care of your health and make sure that you avoid people or places with high Covid rates.
What to do when you get Covid.
My experience with the MOH has been great, the healthcare workers are 100% professional and are there to help. Be honest and give them your respect when dealing with them.
If you are unfortunate enough to get Covid you will need to do the following things.
Get tested.
You can get two type of tests:
· Home saliva test
· Clinic test (PCR/RTK)
· If you get the home saliva test you need to take a photograph of the test results as well as the box of the test you are taking. This is necessary so that the clinic knows whether you have taken an MOH endorsed test. You need to take your RTK/PCR or results with you
· They will set your home quarantine from the time you get a positive test, so the sooner you get the test done the better.
· Once you have a positive result you need to update your MySejahtera app and let MOH know that you have been infected.
· You will also need to let your apartment block know that you have been infected so that they can take necessary precautions.
· You will then need to go to your closest Health Assessment Centre.
· Make sure to take your national ID card
· Make sure your phone is charged as you will need to use your mobile to fill in questionnaires etc
· Once you have gone to the health assessment centre they will ask you a few questions and they will do a few tests (no needles!). They will ask about your symptoms and whether you are able to quarantine at home.
· If you can quarantine at home they will take your details and you will get a pink bracelet which you will need to wear for your quarantine period (10 days).
· During this time you will get a reminder on your MySejahtera app asking you about your symptoms and you will need to update this daily. The reason for this is so that they can check whether your symptoms are improving or getting worse. There is an emergency button on your app to call the ambulance if you have difficulty breathing. They will call you daily with an automated call to check in with you.
· Once you have completed your 10 days of quarantine you will go back to the health assessment centre and they will check that your oxygen level etc are ok.
· If your symptoms have reduced they will remove your pink band and you can return home.
Your app will now go from red to orange.
· You will not be allowed into most public places as when you check in your app will say you are a high risk person, so you will need to order in your food.
So that is the procedure when you get Covid.
Now what happens to you when you get Covid and how to deal with it?
Symptoms.
You will know you have Covid as you will most likely have the following symptoms:
· Headache
· Sore throat
· Aches and pains in your body
· Fever and chills
· Cough
· Diarrhea
· Loss of smell and / or taste
The main symptoms will last for about 5–8 days
·You will then have cough, diarrhea, sore throat, cough for another week, then depending on your individual reaction, cough and headache for another week or two (can be longer).
What can you do about the symptoms?
· Rest
· Lots of water
· Lemon and honey for your throat
· Manuka propolis throat spray (if you have a sore throat)
· Nurofen or Panadol for headaches
· Vitamin C daily
· Get some sun if you can
If you have any trouble breathing at all you must go to the hospital, if your lips go blue or you have trouble breathing, don’t wait, go straight to the hospital or call an ambulance.
Hopefully because most of you are young and healthy you will only have slight symptoms and will be back to normal in no time, but don’t take risks. Eat healthy, get enough sunlight, take vitamin C daily and keep away from crowded areas.
If you feel sick take the test and make sure you don’t infect others.
I hope this was useful.
