Self-Monitoring

Self-monitoring means paying attention to your health and so you can identify signs of sickness.

Everyone should be self-monitoring. It is important to know the symptoms of COVID-19 and to act appropriately if you have those symptoms.

Self-isolation means staying at home to prevent the spread of infection. If you are sick or have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, you must self-isolate. This will help stop the spread of the virus so that other people don't get sick. The Ministry of Health recommends you self-isolate for 14 days.

Self-monitoring is an important way of preventing COVID-19 from spreading in Saskatchewan. It means that you pay attention to new symptoms and temperature. You can use this sheet. Make sure you are taking your temperature properly. You do not have restrictions on attending work or school but should avoid crowded public spaces and vulnerable people. However, you should have a plan on how to quickly self-isolate if you develop fever, cough or difficulty breathing when not at home.

You should self-monitor for 14 days.

Please note that all travellers – including those returning from the United States – now also need to self-isolate.

In addition, any visitors who have travelled outside of Saskatchewan in the previous 14 days or have acute respiratory or flu-like symptoms should avoid visiting long-term care homes and hospitals.

1. Ensure your home is supplied with basic needs, including food, medications (such as fever-reducing medications and prescriptions), personal hygiene products, pet supplies, etc. to support a stay at home of up to 14 days if symptoms develop.
2. Have a plan for whom to contact if you develop fever, cough, or difficulty breathing during the self-monitoring period who can help access medical assessment if needed.
3. Carefully monitor your symptoms twice a day. Be alert for cough or difficulty breathing and document on a worksheet for tracking. You can download and use this tracking sheet.

A fever is defined as any of the following:

• Temperature of 38 Celsius (C) or higher (infant/child rectal temperature or adult oral temperature);
• Infant (under 3 months) armpit temperature of 37.3 C or higher;
• Child armpit temperature of 37.6 C or higher;
• Adult ear (tympanic) temperature of 38.1 C or higher; or
• 1 degree C above a person's usual temperature.

• Pay attention to your health and how you are feeling. You can call HealthLine 811 anytime to get advice about how you are feeling and what to do next.
• If you require urgent medical care (if become harder to breathe, you can't drink anything or you feel very unwell), go to an urgent care clinic or emergency department. Tell the receptionist that you are self-monitoring because of COVID-19.
• If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, get tested, even if symptoms are mild. Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, headache, muscle and/or joint aches and pains, sore throat, chills, runny nose, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, dizziness, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite (difficulty feeding for children), loss of sense of taste or smell, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing. Call HealthLine 811 for directions for testing.
• Call ahead before you get medical care. If leaving your home for medical care, call ahead and tell the clinic you are coming in and that you are self-monitoring due to the risk of COVID-19. By calling ahead, you help the clinic, hospital, lab, urgent care or doctor's office prepare for your visit and stop the spread of germs.

• Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, not your hands.
• Wash your hands right away after you sneeze, cough or touch used tissues or masks. Throw used tissues into a lined trash can in your room and tie up that trash bag before adding it with other household waste.
• Wash your hands. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. It is best to dry your hands with a paper towel and throw away after use. If you can't wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Flush the toilet with the lid down. COVID-19 virus may also be present in poop (stool or feces). Always wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet.
• Clean and disinfect common areas once a day. Clean surfaces in the room(s) that you are staying in with regular cleaning products. Then, disinfect (kill germs) by mixing one part bleach with 50 parts water (for example, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) bleach into 1 cup (250 mL) water) and applying it to areas that are touched often such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables. It is especially important to use bleach to disinfect if you are sharing any common areas (such as a bathroom) with others or if other will be entering the room(s) where you are staying.
• Avoid crowded public spaces and places where rapid self-isolation upon onset of symptoms may not be feasible. Examples of these settings include mass gatherings such as concerts or sporting events.
• Avoid contact with vulnerable people. COVID-19 is more serious among the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. Avoid contact with these individuals while self-monitoring.