7 things to do if you need to home isolate with Omicron

As the Omicron variant is now spreading quickly in the community, it won’t be surprising if you’ll need to home isolate as a contact of a positive case.  So above all, stay calm. Evidence shows that the Omicron variant is much milder than Delta and it’s unlikely you will need hospital care. Also, if you are fully vaccinated and had a booster, you may have no symptoms at all.  Most people will have a mild to moderate cold or flu-like illness, which means you should be able to look after yourself or family members at home. 

To help you out, we’ve put together a quick guide on what to do and how to take care of yourself below.

7 tips for home isolate with the Omicron variant

Naturally, protecting your whānau and community will be top of your mind if you’ve been exposed to Omicron. Of course, the best way to do this is by going into isolation. Without a doubt, this slows the spread of infection.

Isolation tips to follow while you manage Omicron at home

1. Call Healthline on 0800 3585453 or record your visit online 
2. Stay at home, do not go to work or school and do not have visitors to your home.
3. Tell your employer or school that you are isolating. They need to know to keep others who may be close contacts safe and will be grateful for the information to help them plan.
4. If possible try to isolate away from other family members.  This means it’s best to eat and sleep alone and wear a mask when close to other family members. Try not to share dishes, towels etc.
5. Opening windows is a good way to get fresh air. This helps to limit the spread of the Omicron variant. During home isolation, you can go outside, but stay on your own property and away from neighbours.
6. Reach out to friends and family to drop off any food or prescriptions and help with caring for or walking pets. 
7. Follow the instructions about when to get a PCR test. Currently, testing is only for people who are symptomatic

Also, there’s lots of further tips on home isolation at whanau HQ  or covid19.govt.nz/isolation

Keep track of any Omicron symptoms (and get in touch if they get worse)

Fortunately,  symptoms of Omicron infection tend to be mild to moderate. More like what you might expect from getting a cold or the flu.

Look out for mild symptoms of the Omicron variant including:

• Feeling tired
• A  runny nose or sneezing 
• Fever (38°+)
• Sore or scratchy throat
• Headache or body aches
• Dry cough or breathlessness

Whilst most people who get Omicron will have a mild to moderate illness it will pay to monitor symptoms.  Especially, if you are pregnant or have a long term health condition, like diabetes, asthma, heart disease or cancer, you may need more support. It’s a great idea to keep a diary of your symptoms.

For a good list of treatment suggestions to manage symptoms of Omicron at home see Dr Kannangara’s blog on our sister clinic, Highbrook, site.

What to do if your symptoms get worse (and when to get help)

As always, our caring staff at Botany Junction are here to help you.  If you are concerned, we can arrange a phone consultation , or if needed, an appointment to be seen and assessed.

Keep in mind, our phones are especially busy at this time, so we might be delayed in answering your call. General information on how to assess if your omicron symptoms are mild, moderate or severe can be found on Health Navigator

Don’t wait if your symptoms suddenly get worse or you have difficulty breathing. Call 111 for an ambulance.