What are the typical early symptoms of Covid-19?

· Temperature over 37.5°C (99.5 F) that cannot be explained by other illness

· Dry cough and/or shortness of breath

· Digestive problems

· Sudden loss of the sense of taste or smell

What to do if I suspect I may have contracted Covid-19?

· Get in touch by phone with your doctor (a GP or medical emergency department) or an epidemiologist of the local Regional Hygiene Station, eventually the Hygiene Station of the City of Prague (phone 773782 856, 773782 850)

· Do not attend theoretical or practical classes, do not join groups of people

· Contact persons you are or were in contact with and inform them of these developments

· Come to a testing station (for details, see below)

What should I do if I start feeling the symptoms of Covid-19 at a time when my doctor’s office is closed?

· Call the Hygiene Station of the City of Prague (phone 773782 856, 773782 850)

· If that does not work, call medical emergency service, at http://zdravotni.praha.eu/jnp/cz/lekarska_pohotovostni_sluzba/prehled_lps/index.html who will evaluate your situation and decide about testing

· The rest is as above

Where do I go to get tested for Covid-19?

· We recommend a testing station at the Department of Occupational Medicine of the General University Hospital at Na Bojišti 1, Praha 2

· A list of other testing stations is available at https://koronavirus.mzcr.cz/seznam-odberovych-center/

· You can also receive information at a free-of-charge phone number 1212.

How do I get to the testing station?

· Do not use public transport to get to the testing station!

· Ideally come by your own car or with at most one person

· Always use a mask covering your mouth and nose (optimally a respirator without an exhaust valve or a medical-grade face mask)

What Covid-19 tests are available?

· The PCR Test

· It shows whether a person is infected, that is, whether there is the Covid-19 virus in his or her body

· The test is made from a swab from nasopharynx or from liquid material from lower respiratory tract

· The test shows the presence of indicative nucleic acids

Fast antibody test

· Shows whether a person produces Covid-19 antibodies (or developed immunity)

· This test makes no sense shortly after coming in contact with the infection

· If is made from patient’s blood which is sent to serological testing.

How do I pay for testing?

· Medical insurance covers testing only when it was recommended by an epidemiologist or a GP. Your doctor issues for you a recommendation which you then take to the testing station.

· In case you want to get tested without such recommendation, the First Faculty of Medicine carries out PCR tests.

· Test intake takes place always on Monday at the testing station of the Department of Occupational Medicine of the General University Hospital at Na Bojišti 1, Praha 2

· For students and employees of the First Faculty of Medicine, the price is 600 CZK, to be paid on the spot

When do I find out about the test result?

· The result of PCR test will be communicated to you within 48 hours from test intake at your phone number.

What should I do if I was in contact with an infected person?

· Do not attend classes

· Start self-isolation (see below)

· Consider the option of getting tested

Who can be ordered to quarantine?

· A person with clinical symptoms of Covid-19 infection is immediately ordered to isolate at home or, depending on the clinical picture, moved to a hospital.

· Persons who were in risk-carrying contact with a person whose Covid-19 diagnosis was established by a test are immediately ordered to self-isolate.

· If a person who recovered from Covid-19 infection comes into contact with someone who was diagnosed with Covid-19, they are not order to self-isolate or quarantine.

When can I end self-isolation?

· In case of absence of clinical symptoms during the entire time, after 10 days

· After acquiring a negative PCR test for Covid-19

· After recovery (two negative PCR tests taken 24–48 hours apart)

· If the person due to whom you are in isolation turns out not to have been infected.

For further information, see https://koronavirus.mzcr.cz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Jednotny-postup-testovani-a-izolace-COVID-19_11062020.pdf

What should I do when I return from abroad?

· After returning from countries which are currently designated as high-risk, or when showing symptoms of Covid-19, contact your doctor by phone: he or she will decide about testing and self-isolation or quarantine.

Where can I receive further information?

· Contact person for the First Faculty of Medicine is Eva Žáková (eva.zakova@lf1.cuni.cz), 224964189 or 606248810

· Info line of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic in connection with Covid-19: 1212

· Hygiene Station of the City of Prague, phone 773782 856 or 773782 850

· Info line of the State Health Department, phone 724 810 106 or 725 191 367

· Medical emergency, phone 155