Frequent coronavirus questions answered

These are frequent coronavirus questions asked and helpful answers giving by health experts.

The coronavirus pandemic has grown to more than four million confirmed cases around the world and continues to spread.

While Australia is coping well in managing the COVID-19 outbreak, nobody knows exactly when this will all be over for good.

The best we can do right now is to focus on keeping ourselves and our families safe.

To help, we’ve consulted the experts to bring you answers to some of the most-commonly asked coronavirus questions.

Can you catch COVID-19 twice?

“The short answer is we don’t know,” says Professor William Rawlinson, Director of Virology at South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Health Service.

“We think it’s very rare and unlikely for someone to get it, recover and get it again a month later.”

Can a face mask protect you?

“There is pretty good evidence that universal face masks for the general population is a waste of resources,” says Professor Rawlinson.

“For health care workers, when they’re taking swabs and are right in front of a person’s face, it’s a good idea to be wearing a face mask.

But if you’re out for a walk, there is no need to be wearing a face mask.”

The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19, Professor Rawlinson, is through social distancing, good hygiene and not touching your face.

Amcal have provided a useful definition on what social distancing and self-isolation looks like on their COVID-19 FAQ site here.

Can you have COVID-19 with no symptoms?

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A recent report by the World Health Organisation suggests that “80 per cent of infections are mild or asymptomatic.”

According to Professor Rawlinson, the percentage of asymptomatic cases varies greatly between different studies and in different countries.

“If you’re older you’re more likely to have symptoms,” he says. “If you have a young population, there can be truly no symptoms at all.”

How long does infection last?

According to Amcal’s dedicated COVID-19 FAQ site, the infection period varies between people and can be dependent on their previous health status.

Mild symptoms in a normally healthy person may only last a few days. Conversely, for an individual with existing health issues recovery could take a number of weeks.

What does the phrase ‘community spread’ mean?

A case of COVID-19 is considered to be a “community spread” case when health officials don’t know where or when that person was infected in other words, it wasn’t due to overseas travel or coming into contact with a known infected person.

This happens when infected people don’t realize they have COVID-19 and continue to circulate in the community.

Can my pharmacist test me for COVID-19?

Pharmacists are not currently testing for COVID-19, according to senior Amcal pharmacist Brinley Hosking. “You can only be tested at specialized testing centers, hospitals and by GPs,” she says.

“The caseload is much lower in Australia than other countries so hospitals and specialized testing centers are coping quite well.”

What medication can I pick up from my local pharmacy in case I experience minor symptoms?

“With respiratory conditions, there are over the counter medications available that can help with symptom relief, such as medication for a fever or for a runny nose,” Hosking advises.

“This medication won’t cure you or lessen the duration of the illness, but it will make you feel more comfortable while you wait to get better.”

However, if you are experiencing symptoms in line with COVID-19, ensure you contact your GP to get tested. When seeking medical advice from a GP, call ahead of time to book an appointment.

If you’re a carer, you can use the carer mode on the app to manage your loved one’s medications and manage multiple different profiles in one place.

Should I be getting the flu vaccine?

Absolutely, says Hosking. “The Australian Immunization Guidelines recommend an annual flu vaccine for everyone over the age of six months, and this year is no different.

The flu vaccine won’t protect you against COVID-19, but it is theoretically possible to have flu and COVID-19 at the same time, which could be very dangerous to have.