An Gardaí Síochána recently encountered a car occupied by a person who tested positive for Covid-19 and who was en-route to a local post office.
They have issued an appeal to those impacted by coronavirus to stay at home in response to this.
In a statement on social media, a Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí in the south of the country recently encountered a car occupied by a middle-aged couple. The female passenger present informed us that she had been recently diagnosed as COVID 19 positive.”
“Despite this diagnosis, they were travelling to post a letter. They were immediately directed to return to their residence to self- isolate in accordance with the HSE and Government guidelines. Self-isolation means staying indoors and completely avoiding contact with other people.”
“Most people with coronavirus will only have mild symptoms and will get well within weeks. Even though the symptoms are mild, you can still spread the virus to others,” the statement concluded.
Self-isolating guidelines
The following guidelines should be followed by people who have to self-isolate due to Covid-19:
- Stay at home – Do not go to work, college, school, religious services, social gatherings or public areas. Do not use public transport or taxis until you are well.
- Keep away from other people in your home as much as you can – Avoid physical contact with other people in your household. Stay in a room with the window open. If possible, you should use a separate toilet and bathroom to the rest of the household. If this is not possible, make sure these areas are kept clean.
- Wash your hands often – Keep your hands clean by washing them regularly with soap and water. This is one of the most important things you can do.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes – When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue. Put used tissues into a closed bin and wash your hands.
- Avoid sharing things – You should avoid sharing dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding or other items with other people in your home. After you use these items, they should e washed in a dishwasher or alternatively with soap and hot water. Don’t share games consoles or remote controls.
- Monitor your symptoms – If your symptoms develop or get worse, phone your GP. If it is an emergency, call an ambulance on 112 or 999 and tell them hat you may have coronavirus (Covid-19).
- Avoid having visitors in your home – If possible, do not allow visitors into your home or answer your door to callers.
- Household cleaning – Many cleaning and disinfectant products sold in supermarkets can kill coronavirus on surfaces. Clean the surface as usual with detergent, disinfectant or disinfectant wipe. Wear disposable gloves and a plastic apron if available and throw them out afterwards. Wash your hands after removing gloves and apron.
- Laundry – Wear gloves while handling dirty laundry and wash with detergent at a temperature above 60 degrees Celsius or at the highest temperature suitable for the fabric (whichever is higher). Clean all surfaces around the washing machine and wash hands thoroughly after handling dirty laundry.
- Managing rubbish – Use plastic bags for collecting rubbish including used tissues, gloves, masks and aprons. Dispose of rubbish bags when three-quarter full by tying the bag. Place the first bag into a second bag, which you should then also tie.
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