If you think you came into contact with anyone who had the disease, you should self-quarantine for 14 days. Symptoms should develop within 5 days, but you may also be asymptomatic, so even without symptoms you should remain extra cautious. Two weeks is the globally-advised time, because the virus usually doesn't survive in our bodies longer than 14-20 days and in the final days the risk of anyone contracting it is minimal. During that time you should rest as much as possible, make sure you're hydrated properly and can take regular flu medication.
In order to be sure you're well and have beaten COVID-19, you should wait until the last symptoms pass, even mild ones like runny nose or general debility. If they remain even past the 14-day period, you should not be surprised – in some cases it takes more time. You should remain in place and avoid social interactions further, while also contacting your doctor for advice. Some of us, even when not requiring hospitalisation, may end up with long-lasting effects like pulmonary fibrosis, which decreases lung function.
It's important to remember that whenever your symptoms become severe and you suffer from dyspnoea, you should contact medical services immediately. You may require the use of a ventilator for a week, sometimes two, to aid your breathing. And while it saves lives, ventilator use can also leave a lasting impact on your physical and mental health. Cognitive deficits, PTSD and difficulty in returning to normal life should not come as a surprise – there is significant body of research suggesting these outcomes are quite common. So don't be afraid to ask for professional help.
If you're among the fortunate ones to go through COVID-19 without sumptoms or to fight them off within days, you may consider donating your plasma. It might make you a real-life superhero, because your plasma has antibodies that could save other people. These antibodies are being used by hundreds of scientific teams worldwide to help find a cure for the novel coronavirus. In order to donate, you will have to have a test confirming you are negative, of course.
