Queensland Health resources

COVID-19 is a new, or novel, strain of virus in the coronavirus family that has not been previously identified. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

COVID-19 was discovered in 2019 when a higher than normal number of people in Wuhan, China, started to get pneumonia after having an illness similar to the flu. When doctors tested them, they found these people had a type of coronavirus they hadn’t seen before. There were already lots of types of coronavirus in the world, but this one was new.

For more information, call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) and get tested. Call emergency services on 000 if you are very sick.

Queensland Health have an online COVID-19 symptoms quiz that may also help.

COVID-19 spreads between people, usually when a sick person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can enter your body through the mucous membranes (wet parts) of your face – your eyes, nose and mouth – which provide a direct pathway to your throat and lungs. The good news is that it can’t get in through other parts of your body like your skin or your hair, but you might be surprised just how easily it can get to the mucous membranes of your face.

First of all, the droplets from someone’s cough or sneeze might fall directly into your eyes, nose or mouth if you’re close enough to the infected person, letting the virus enter your system straight away.

Or, the droplets might fall onto a surface where you then put your hands. If you don’t wash your hands, you could move the virus into your eyes, nose or mouth and become infected. The infected person might also get the droplets on their hands if they cough or sneeze into them, and then place them on a surface, where you pick them up.

Direct membrane-to-membrane contact can also spread the virus. This could happen by kissing. The virus can also be spread by sharing items that go in your mouth, eyes or nose, like cutlery, cups, straws, water bottles or cosmetics.

Can COVID-19 spread through the air?

So far, studies show that people are mainly catching COVID-19 through these droplets, rather than the virus hanging out in the air. This is good news, because it means if an infected person is in a room, breathes for a while, then leaves the room, the virus isn’t lurking in the air waiting for the next person to come in. If with further study we find out this information has changed, we’ll let you know.

Because it’s a new virus, everyone is at risk of catching COVID-19, because our immune systems don’t recognise it yet. This is why everyone around the world is trying so hard to make sure that people with the virus don’t pass it on to others.

This doesn’t mean that everyone is going to get COVID-19, but it does mean we all have a role to play in keeping ourselves and others well. The more everyone follows the advice to wash their hands often and properly, stay at home as much as possible, and stay home when they’re sick, the fewer people will catch this virus.

Who is most at risk of getting seriously unwell from COVID-19?

In countries like China, where there has been the most cases COVID-19, people who have become seriously unwell have been elderly (over 70-years-old) or have already had a health condition like a high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, or are immunocompromised.

We haven’t had many cases in Queensland yet, so it’s too early to tell exactly how this virus will affect Queenslanders. We expect that most people in Queensland who catch COVID-19 will experience a mild illness, like a cold, that lasts a few weeks.

Washing your hands often and properly means that you can prevent viruses from entering your body. That means washing your hands when you’ve been out and about and before you eat (and after you go to the toilet!).

Did you know there are six steps to washing your hands properly? Follow the below steps to make sure you’re washing your hands successfully.

Try to stay at least 1.5 metres away from people who are coughing or sneezing. Even if they don’t have COVID-19, they might have germs you don’t want anyway!

We are now asking all Queenslanders to follow social distancing practices:

• Stay home as much as possible.
• Keep 1.5 metres away from others as much as possible.
• Avoid shaking hands, kissing or hugging others.
• If you can, work from home.
• Avoid gatherings that aren’t essential.

You can find more information in our blog, How does COVID-19 spread and how can I stop myself from catching it.

As soon as an individual returns a positive result for COVID-19, just like with other contagious viruses such as measles, we undertake what is called contact tracing to prevent the infection spreading further through the community.

As part of this process, we speak to the patient to identify anyone who might have had close contact with them during their infectious window.

If there are people who are considered as close contacts, who are at a higher risk, our staff follow up with them directly.  If they begin showing symptoms, we assess them faster and take the right action.

If we can’t identify people who could have been in close contact with a confirmed case, we will issue a public health alert with specific dates, times and locations that the public should be aware of. Only people who match the exact criteria provided need to contact us.

Close contact

Close contacts are those who have had face-to-face contact with a confirmed case for a period more than 15 minutes, or those who have shared an enclosed space with a confirmed case for more than two hours.

We are not looking for people the person may have passed on the street or in a shop, as the risk in these situations is extremely low.

If you have been in close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 you need to self-quarantine for 14 days from your last contact with them. If you become unwell during that period, see a doctor immediately.

View current public contact tracing alerts.

People are asked to quarantine themselves before they get sick in order to stop or slow the spread of the virus. For example, you may be asked to self-quarantine in your home, hotel room or provided accommodation, and not leave for 14 days if you have just returned home from overseas.

If you are a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 you will be asked to self-isolate unless your symptoms require treatment in a hospital.

To sum it up: isolation is for people who are sick and have tested positive for coronavirus, and must self-isolate while recovering. Quarantine is when you are told by a doctor or the Government you must stay at home for 14 days.

People are asked to quarantine themselves before they get sick in order to stop or slow the spread of the virus. For example, you may be asked to self-quarantine in your home, hotel room or provided accommodation, and not leave for 14 days if you have just returned home from overseas.

If you are a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 you will be asked to self-isolate unless your symptoms require treatment in a hospital.

To sum it up: isolation is for people who are sick and have tested positive for coronavirus, and must self-isolate while recovering. Quarantine is when you are told by a doctor or the Government you must stay at home for 14 days.