• • practice social distancing- keep at least 2 meters away from other people
  • practice infection prevention and control {IPC) e.g. washing hands frequently or using hand sanitizers, cough etiquette
  • avoid elderly people as they are at risk of getting severe disease
  • stay at home to limit exposing their infection to others or picking up COVID-19 just in case their illness is just a simple flu/other infection.

What is COVID-19?

Corona viruses are responsible for the simple colds that we know about but COVID-19 is a viral infection due to the new/novel corona virus that was identified in China in December 2019. This new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) is easily transmitted from person to person and those not exhibiting symptoms can transmit it too, unlike SARS/MERS where transmission appeared to be via those already exhibiting symptoms.

We expect that 80% of those who get infected will be able to take care of themselves at home. However, 20% will need to be admitted as they will have moderate /severe symptoms of COVID-19. We also expect that 5% of the total that will be infected will need ventilation in an intensive care setting.

Given our limited capacity to handle infected cases in our hospitals all over Zimbabwe, it is important that we avoid getting infected. Hence, we need to observe the current public health measures and practice infection prevention and control to the highest extent possible.

What is the incubation period?

The incubation period appears to be about 14 days in most cases but most symptoms will appear at about day 5 of infection. Hence, WHO recommends that contacts of patients with laboratory­ confirmed COVID-19 be quarantined for 14 days from the last time they were exposed to the patient.

What is self-quarantine and self-isolation?

Self-quarantine refers to when you distance yourself from others after exposure or potential exposure just in case you may develop symptoms of COVID-19.

Self-isolation refers to those with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and therefore need to assume they are infected even if not yet tested so as to protect others around them. This will also apply to confirmed COVID-19 cases with mild symptoms and being managed at home i.e. not deemed sick enough to be admitted.

What are the symptoms?

The case definition is changing all the time but in general a new fever, dry cough, myalgia, shortness of breath and extreme fatigue warrant an exclusion of COVID-19. Thus, anyone presenting with flu­ like symptoms should be assumed to be a potential COVD-19 case until proved otherwise. Children may also have poor feeding, nausea and vomiting.

TRIAGE:

• Early recognition of suspected COVID-19 cases.
• Suspected COVID-19 cases need to be quickly identified when they present to our healthcare settings/hospitals.
• Screen at arrival in hospital and refer appropriately. If you suspect COVID-19 refer to the nearest isolation centre for testing and avoid admitting patients to centres that may not be able to handle the case or risk infecting non-COVID cases.
• If you suspect a patient has Covid-19 symptoms, put a mask on them and isolate them in a separate room whilst waiting for the rapid response team to come and collect the patient to take them to the Isolation Centre or to the appropriate place for their admission. Keep the patient at least 3 meters from other suspect cases.
• If possible, use dedicated or disposable patient-care equipment.
• Clean and disinfect reused equipment before use on another patient.
• Keep a record of all patients who have had to be isolated at your unit and follow up their result. This is important for contact tracing should their test result be positive, especially the healthcare workers at that facility.( Use appropriate surveillance tools for COVID-19)
• If the healthcare workers who looked after such a patient were not wearing appropriate PPE, they should be isolated from work until the disposition of that case is known (COVID-19 positive or negative), for up to 14 -21 days.
• Patients with mild symptoms can be sent back home for self-quarantining for at least 14 -21 days. When they are at home, they will need to stay in their own room and avoid infecting their family members. Ideally, they should be in their own room, use their own utensils i.e. not share these with other members of the family, use their own toilet & bathroom or use these facilities after every one else has used them. Their waste will need to be handled as infectious and disposed of safely.
• Those with underlying chronic disease like HIV, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, chronic heart failure, cancer, older individuals, are at risk of developing moderate /severe infection.

o       Therefore, they need to be admitted

o     Check if they have a respiratoryrate > 24, tachycardia>120, 02 saturation <90%

Where to refer to:

You will need to know where to refer patients for admission from your site.

Whom to contact:

Keep the numbers of the local/focal person that you need to contact if you suspect COVID-19.

3. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - availability of appropriate and adequate PPE at all settings to prevent transmission of SARS-Cov2 to staff and other patients (refer to latest COVID-19 PPE Policy)

The following measures should be strictly observed in order to prevent transmission of SARS-Cov2:

• Perform hand hygiene frequently with an alcohol-based hand rub (60 -80% alcohol content) or wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly soiled. Avoid touching your face, mouth,nose and eyes with dirty hands. Also avoid hand shaking . To effectively clean hands, rub the hands for at least 20 seconds using the recommended steps (refer to the latest National IPC Guidelines on the 5 moments and the technique for hand hygiene).
• Staff who develop symptoms should self-quarantine until they are cleared of COVI0-19 and are feeling better. Teach cough etiquette and provide IEC materials as a reminder for staff and patients.
• When caring for patients or working in areas providing care to suspected and confirmed cases of COVIO-19, wear PPE as recommended in the PPE Policy for COVIO-19. Training in the proper donning and doffing of PPE should be given.
• Increase the frequency of environmental cleaning and provide appropriate cleaning agents and disinfectants , which are active against enveloped viruses. Segregate linen, without shaking, according to the National IPC Guidelines. Wet linen should be placed in impervious bags before putting in laundry bags. It is crucial to train laundry workers on linen management and provide appropriate PPE.
• Manage waste as per National IPC Guidelines. Waste segregation at point of care (using colour coded bins and job aides), provision of PPE for waste handlers and timely disposal of the waste. Note waste from COVIO-19 care areas is highly infectious and should not be kept in the facility waste holding area.
• It is critical that we apply infection prevention and control and avoid catching COVI0-19 as there is no specific therapy for this infection right now apart from supportive care.

In summary:

Wash hands with soap and water as often as possible for at least 20 seconds.

If you have no access to water, use hand sanitizer ideally one with 60-80%% alcohol.

Given that we will not know who is infected and who is not, healthcare workers (HCW) will need to use appropriate PPE in the hospital setting in particular at Emergency Rooms and when caring for a person with COVID-19.

HCW must be trained in the donning and doffing of this PPE and its correct disposal. We need to identify dedicated isolation centers/hospitals for COVID -19 treatment.

• • Suspect Covid-19 when a person presents with a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath They may also have fatigue, muscle aching, diarrhea and /or vomiting.
  • Having a runny nose is not that common in Covid-19.
  • Thus, the symptoms of this COVI0-19 are likely to be confused with our usual flu-like syndromes.
  • Be wary of those who may have travelled from countries reporting a lot of COVID-19 cases which is now declared a pandemic by WHO as most countries have cases including Zimbabwe.
  • Any person presenting with a severe acute respiratory tract infection is a potential COVID-19 case and in particular those with a flu-like illness with a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.
  • Any case of pneumonia should be considered as a potential COVID-19 case and have that possibility excluded through checking for risk factors i.e. have they travelled, have they been exposed to a COVID-19 case etc.