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COVID 19 Information

Source: QLD Health, Updated 8/9/2023

It is no longer mandatory to self-isolate at home if you test positive to COVID-19. If you have symptoms or have tested positive to COVID-19, Queensland Health strongly recommends you:

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Staying at home is an effective way of reducing the spread of all respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. You should stay at home whilst infectious to help prevent infecting others.

If you:

Queensland Health strongly recommends that you stay at home until:

  • you no longer have acute respiratory symptoms

  • you've gone for at least 24 hours without a fever, without using fever-reducing painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, and

  • at least 5 days has passed since either the onset of acute respiratory infection symptoms or the positive COVID-19 test (whichever was first).

You should:

  • You may benefit from antiviral medicines if you are at high risk of developing severe illness. Contact us on 3299 6777 to discuss further with your GP.

  • Call the National Coronavirus Helpline 24/7 on 1800 020 080 for assistance with connecting you to a health professional or hospital care, if required. Press 8 if you need an interpreter.

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Most people will have minor symptoms, particularly if vaccinated and otherwise healthy.

If you have a Positive RAT result

Note:  You do not need a PCR test to confirm a positive RAT result.

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Stay away from other people in your home or accommodation as much as possible to reduce their exposure to COVID-19. This may include:

  • keeping 1.5 metres away from them and avoiding close contact, including touching, kissing, hugging and other intimate contact

  • sleeping in a separate room where possible

  • using a separate bathroom where possible

  • avoiding shared areas where possible

  • wearing a mask when you must use shared areas.

Avoid non-essential visitors and advise any visitors of your illness, unless it's for:

  • emergency care

  • medical care

  • other essential care.

If you live with an elderly person or someone with a compromised immune system (immunocompromised), you or they may wish to stay elsewhere. If you or they are not able to stay elsewhere, stay away from them as much as possible and wear a mask in any shared areas. They are at greater risk of being more unwell if they get COVID-19.

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Practice good hygiene

Always cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, preferably with a tissue or your sleeve when you don’t have a tissue. Throw out any used tissues straight away in a rubbish bin.

Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds regularly, and especially after you cough, sneeze, blow your nose or take off gloves and masks. You can use alcohol-based hand sanitiser if your hands are not visibly dirty. Clean your hands after putting on your mask, and before going into any shared household areas.

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Do not share household items

Do not share cups, glasses, plates, utensils, towels or bedding with others in your home. These items should not be used by others until they are cleaned thoroughly with detergent and water or in a dishwasher or washing machine.

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Wear a mask

If you have COVID-19, you should avoid being in the same room with others, but if you do need to be in the same room, always wear a face mask covering your nose and mouth and maintain a physical distance of more than 1.5 metres wherever possible.

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Tell your social, work and education contacts to get tested if they have symptoms

It’s likely you will have been in contact with other people while you were infectious. It's possible you have spread the virus to others (without knowing) in the 2 days before you had symptoms or found out you have COVID-19.

If you have been in contact with anyone during that period, you need to tell them you have COVID-19 so they can monitor their own health and get tested if they feel unwell.

This might include your workplace or the place you study, or if you have children, the school or childcare they go to.

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Manage your symptoms and health

Most people who are fully vaccinated will be able to care for themselves at home, like you would for other viruses.

You may have symptoms like a fever, cough, headache or a sore throat. You may feel unwell for a day or 2, and then start to feel better. Some fully vaccinated people will have no symptoms at all.

If you're unsure whether you need medical care for your symptoms or if you feel you might require medical assessment or treatment, you can:

You may benefit from antiviral medicines if you are at high risk of developing severe illness. 

You should seek medical advice if you:

  • are not improving after 2 or 3 days, or are getting sicker

  • have a chronic health condition

  • are pregnant.

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ONLY go to hospital or call Triple Zero (000) if you have severe symptoms:

  •  difficulty breathing even when walking around the house

  •  coughing up blood

  •  significant chest pain

  •  collapse or fainting.

You can seek medical advice by phoning the Clinic (07 32996777)

or 13HEALTH - 13 43 25 84 (Open 24/7 for confidential health advice from a nurse)

or 134 COVID (134 268)

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Vaccination after having COVID-19

Even if you’ve recovered from COVID-19, we recommend you still get vaccinated. You are far less likely to get severe symptoms should you get COVID-19 again, if you are immunised.

We recommend you wait 3 months before being vaccinated after having COVID-19, but you should speak to your doctor about specific recommendations for your health circumstances. You must not attend a vaccination appointment if you have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Useful websites:

Report a positive RAT result to QLD Health

www.qld.gov.au/rat-positive 

Testing and fever clinics

www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/stay-informed/testing-and-fever-clinics

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