During the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, some people are being asked to isolate themselves to prevent the virus from spreading. However, people who are at higher risk of getting sick might also choose to self-isolate. This includes older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
Coronavirus is a disease that infects the lungs. Researchers estimate that the incubation period could last up to 24 days. When symptoms do arrive, they include fever and a dry cough; this can lead to breathing problems.
According to BBC Health, it takes five days on average to start showing the symptoms. However, some people will get symptoms much later than this.
The government is recommending anyone who has a fever or continuous cough to self-isolate.
What does self-solation mean in terms of the coronavirus?
According to Public Health England, self-isolation means staying at home for 14 days. You cannot go to work, school or any other public place. You also need to avoid public transport and taxis.
There is lots of advice about what to do if you need to self-isolate, e.g. NHS Self Isolation Advice and BBC Should I Self-Isolate and How to Do It. But we’ve noticed an increase in calls during this time as we support people who have worries or health concerns. Many are alone and have no-one else to help them.
How a personal alarm can help with self-isolation
If you have concerns about your health or need to self-isolate, our personal alarm service could help provide reassurance during a time of crisis. In case of an accident or emergency, a personal alarm service is a quick and simple way of getting help at the press of a button. We provide 24-hour, 365-day monitoring so you can talk to someone whenever you need to. Our service can also be posted if you want to minimise contact with people. It’s designed to be easily installed but you can call our technical helpdesk if you need assistance.
During the coronavirus outbreak, a personal alarm can provide valuable peace of mind for:
- family members who are worried about a relative, e.g if they don’t live nearby or can’t visit them due to the risk of infection
- those who need to self-isolate. Our services can keep you in touch with a friendly, trained professional
- older people who are more vulnerable to corona. You might just need some reassurance or advice
- people who are waiting to leave the hospital. A personal alarm service allows you to get home sooner. This eases pressures on the NHS, whilst getting you back to the comfort of your own home
- the NHS 111 service. This is likely to be overstretched, so having a personal alarm means you can press your pendant if it’s an emergency. But please note we cannot put you through to 111 any quicker than if you called it yourself.
We understand that self-isolating can be lonely and even frightening. That’s why we’re always here for you if you have concerns about your health. We also offer a telephone checking service where we can call you to check that you’re OK.
Careium can give you and your loved ones valuable peace of mind at home. For more information about how a personal alarm could help, call 0300 333 6511. Alternatively, send us an email: [email protected].