I have been infected or I suspect I have COVID-19
Instructions for further steps as of 30 August 2024
If you have COVID-19 or suspect you have fallen ill:
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Contact your family physician or call the family physicians’ advisory line (1220). If you develop any symptoms, please do not visit the emergency department or visit your family physician in person, but instead first ask for the advice of your family physician over the phone. Please find instructions for caring for a patient at home here (PDF).
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Remain at home. Contact your family physician for a certificate to show your incapacity for work or a certificate for care leave.
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Avoid contact with other people.
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Please notify your close contacts that they may have been infected.
Please also regularly observe the following safety requirements:
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Wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water. Sanitise, if necessary, as the virus may spread via contaminated objects.
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Avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, or nose.
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Ventilate your rooms regularly (at least twice a day for at least fifteen minutes at a time).
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Cover your nose and mouth with a paper tissue or your arm when you cough or sneeze (immediately throw away the used tissue and wash your hands).
If your condition deteriorates steeply, please immediately contact the alarm centre via 112.
Example 1: you do not feel well and your COVID-19 rapid antigen test which was taken at home provides a positive result.
If you suspect you have COVID-19 and your COVID-19 rapid antigen test which you took at home provided a positive result, the family physician can diagnose you quickly based on the rapid test result. Contact your family physician and follow the treatment advice. If necessary, a certificate of incapacity for work or a certificate for care leave will be issued for you.
Example 2: You do not feel well and your family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
If you suspect you have COVID-19 and your family member has recently been diagnosed with COVID-19, your family physician can diagnose you based on the family connection. Contact your family physician and follow treatment advice. If necessary, a certificate showing your incapacity for work or a certificate permitting care leave will be issued for you.
Advice for preventing infection
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Wash your hands often. Use soap and warm water when washing hands; in public places use a hand sanitiser.
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Mask-wearing is not a restriction but an option. We advise wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces and on public transport, especially in the case of at-risk individuals.
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Avoid unnecessary contact. It is a good idea to keep a reasonable distance from strangers in public indoor spaces.
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Observe the respiratory hygiene requirements. If you sneeze or cough, use a disposable napkin or your sleeve, not your bare hand, to cover your nose and mouth.
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Vaccination of high-risk groups. COVID-19 vaccination is free for all people in high-risk groups and is the easiest way to prevent severe illness.
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Favour well-ventilated premises. The easiest way to ensuring healthy air exchange is to open windows and air out your rooms.
Vaccination against COVID-19
The state immunoprophylaxis expert committee recommends vaccination against COVID-19 in the fall of 2024 for high-risk groups, which include people aged 60 and over, pregnant women, and children and adults with high-risk medical conditions.
Additionally, staff working in healthcare services, 24-hour general care services provided outside the home, 24-hour special care services, and community living service facilities are considered part of the high-risk group. This applies if more than six months have passed since their last vaccination or recovery from COVID-19.
Vaccination is free for people in high-risk groups, and COVID-19 vaccination is not intended for those outside these groups.
More detailed information about vaccination opportunities can be found on the website vaktsineeri.ee.
Where can you turn in order to obtain information?
Please address any health-related questions to the family physicians' advisory line: ☎️ 1220.
(If calling from abroad: +372 634 6630).
If you experience breathing difficulties or shortness of breath, call the emergency phone line: ☎️ 112.
If you have any questions, please contact the Health Board via email: [email protected]