Frequently asked questions about coronavirus
On daily basis, we, Heltti’s healthcare professionals, receive various questions regarding coronavirus. In this blog post we answer the most frequently asked questions about current the coronavirus situation (January 2022).
Please note: THL’s (Finnish Institure of Health and Welfare) new Code of Conduct, dated 13 January 2022, applies to everyone, including those who have received COVID-19 vaccinations. In a case you receive personal instructions from your healthcare provider, regarding for example coronavirus tests, isolation, or quarantine, you should follow them instead.
Questions:
- I suspect I have a coronavirus infection, but I have mild symptoms. What should I do?
- I have mild symptoms, I do not belong to risk groups, and did not have access to coronavirus test made by the health care professionals. What should I do?
- My home test was positive, what should I do?
- I have symptoms, but the coronavirus home test shows negative, can I go to work?
- How do I treat coronavirus at home?
- What should I do if my symptoms continue for more than five days?
- My home test was positive but due to queues I got appointment for the official coronavirus test after a few days later. Do I receive the daily allowance for an infectious disease according to the test done at home or the official test done by the health care professionals?
- I have the opportunity to work remotely, and I only have mild symptoms of the coronavirus, but I want an entry in the coronavirus passport. What should I do?
- How does the infectious disease allowance differ from the sick leave allowance for an employee / employer?
- In what circumstances is it necessary to apply for a infectious disease allowance? How about sick leave?
- I have no symptoms but I am exposed, how do I act?
1. I suspect I have a coronavirus infection, but I have mild symptoms. What should I do?
- Visit your own hospital district website and coronavirus information pages. From there you will find the latest updates and instructions regarding coronavirus testing in your municipality. (THL: The COVID-19 epidemic: regional situation, recommendations and restrictions)
- Even if coronavirus testing in your area is facing queues, book an appointment for coronavirus test made by the health care professionals, if you have coronavirus symptoms and in addition if :
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- a healthcare professional has recommended PCR-test for you
- you are a social or healthcare professional, meet clients and patients face-to-face
- you work in any kind job that includes round-the-clock care or disability services
- you belong to a risk group for severe coronavirus disease
- you are pregnant
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- Voluntarily avoid contact with anyone other than those living in the same household for at least five days
- However, if you experience severe symptoms such as shortness of breath or your general condition deteriorates, contact your healthcare provider immediately
In addition, please note the regional guidelines when to go to a coronavirus test in publich healthcare:
- HUS: asks you to apply for the test if you are at risk of serious coronavirus disease due to age (over 60 years), illness or medication, or if you have significant risk factors for thrombosis (see HUS website).
- TYKS: has also listed non-vaccinated people in this group
2. I have mild symptoms, I do not belong to risk groups, and did not have access to coronavirus test made by the health care professionals. What should I do?
- Take the home test
- Voluntarily avoid contact with anyone other than those living in the same household for at least five days
- If your symptoms continue for more than three days, avoid contact until you have been asymptomatic for at least two days
3. My home test was positive, what should I do?
- The coronavirus test result does not need to be verified by a health care test, if otherwise there is no need to contact the health care provider.
- Voluntarily avoid contact with anyone other than those living in the same household for at least five days. If your coronavirus symptoms continue for more than three days, avoid contact until you have been asymptomatic for at least two days.
- Tell people you have had close contact with, that you have tested positive for coronavirus. NOTE! Infection may begin as early as two days before the onset of symptoms.
- Ask those who have been infected voluntarily avoid contact for five days since you last met.
- Use a face mask and take care of good hand hygiene when meeting other people.
- Report the absence to your employer and follow your employer’s instructions.
- If you need a medical certificate for a suspected coronary virus disease, for example for sickness benefit, contact the Heltti line
- For home care instructions, see section “5. instructions for the infected” in this article.
4. I have symptoms, but the coronavirus home test shows negative, can I go to work?
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- You can’t go to work. If you have symptoms, avoid contact for at least 5 days or until the symptoms have resolved, even if the test result is negative.
- Repeat the test on several consecutive days or every 2 to 3 days.
- If the test becomes positive, see section 3.
5. How do I treat coronavirus at home?
See Treatment of coronavirus and instructions for the infected made and updated by the Finnish Institure of Health and Welfare (THL)
6. What should I do if my symptoms continue for more than five days?
- Avoid contact until you have been asymptomatic for at least two days
- Report the absence to your employer and follow your employer’s instructions.
- If you need a medical certificate for a suspected coronary virus disease, for example for sickness benefit, contact Heltti.
7. My home test was positive but due to queues I got appointment for the official coronavirus test after a few days later. Do I receive the daily allowance for an infectious disease according to the test done at home or the official test done by the health care professionals?
- Time is calculated from the beginning of symptoms, not the beginning of a positive test.
- Pending the outcome of your coronavirus test, maintain quarantine-like conditions. In practice, you should behave as if you had been infected with a corona.
8. I have the opportunity to work remotely, and I only have mild symptoms of the coronavirus, but I want an entry in the coronavirus passport. What should I do?
In order for a coronavirus to be labeled with a diseased coronavirus, it requires a PCR test in healthcare. Currently, coronavirus testing is facing long queues in many regions.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this: In mild symptoms, a home test is recommended so that any already overburdened health care is not overburdened more due to mild cases. Practically, if you have mild symptoms, there is no need for a test – other than the reason for the entry in your coronavirus passport. If you only need , it depends on your locality whether you can get a PCR test done by your healthcare provider. Public and private are guided by the same criteria.
9. How does the infectious disease allowance differ from the sick leave allowance for an employee / employer?
The infectious disease allowance is full compensation for loss of earnings. An employee’s daily allowance is determined by the salary he or she would have received if he or she had been employed.
If a salary has been paid for the period of absence from work, the infectious disease daily allowance is paid to the employer in proportion to the salary. The amount of salary can be different from the amount of loss of earnings. The amount of the daily allowance does not take into account the employer’s incidental expenses.
10. In what circumstances is it necessary to apply for a infectious disease allowance? How about sick leave?
- An infectious disease daily allowance can be applied for if a person has been placed in isolation or quarantined by an infectious disease authority and this results in a loss of earnings.
- A doctor may prescribe sick leave if a person is unable to work due to an illness.
11. I have no symptoms but I am exposed, how do I act?
A typical situation you might encounter is this: “I live in the same apartment or have otherwise been in close contact with a person who has got a positive home test or PCR-test. What should I do?”
- If possible, avoid contact outside the home until five days have passed since the onset of symptoms in the affected person. If several family members become ill, five days are counted from the beginning of the symptoms of the last person to become ill.
- Use a face mask outside the home.
- Work remote if possible.
- If there is no opportunity to work remotely, you are completely asymptomatic and unless your infectious disease doctor decides otherwise, you can go to work as long as you use a face mask and avoid contact. NOTE! Asymptomatic cannot get sick leave
- An asymptomatic child can go to school or kindergarten five days after the onset of symptoms in an affected family member.
- THL: Treatment of coronavirus and instructions for the infected
- If you experience symptoms, proceed as in step 1.
We have updated our general coronavirus status page. Here you can read more about current recommendations for employers and employees: Corona situation update
If your employer has added COVID vaccinations to your workplace contract through Heltti, read instructions on how to book a vaccination time and how to act on the day of vaccination: COVID-19 vaccinations at Heltti