If you think you have coronavirus, here's what you need to do

• Updated on: 2020-03-30
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If you think you have coronavirus, here’s what you need to do
By Dr. Jill Weatherhead, Correspondent
March 30, 2020
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1of80Erica Tam, medical technologist in the molecular microbiology lab, adds the RNA extracted from patient samples collected at the hospital to the test she is running to detect COVID-19 using reagents from a CDC provided test kit at Texas Children's Hospital.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
2of80A new mural on the side of an abandoned building that reads "Remuv Covid-19" downtown, in Houston, Sunday, March 29, 2020.Photo: Karen Warren, Staff photographer
3of80The gate to the Legends Trace subdivision community pool is chained shut and closed due to the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, March 29, 2020 in Spring.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
4of80A sign along I-45 North warns that Texas will enforce quarantine orders to Louisiana drivers entering state on Sunday, March 29, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
5of80La Fisheria on Milam downtown is boarded up and closed on Saturday, March 28, 2020 in Houston. Businesses around the city have been closed and boarded up due to the coronavirus pandemic precautions, forcing several businesses to shut their doors.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
6of80A playground is covered on caution tape, to discourage people from playing there due to coronavirus, in the Legends Trace subdivision on Sunday, March 29, 2020 in Spring.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
7of80The building housing Rosie Cannonball and the Monrose Cheese & Wine is boarded up and closed on Saturday, March 28, 2020 in Houston. Businesses around the city have been closed and boarded up due to the coronavirus pandemic precautions, forcing several businesses to shut their doors.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
8of80People play basketball as a sign indicates that the court is closed due to concerns about COVID-19 on Saturday, March 28, 2020, at Spotts Park in Houston.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
9of80Basketball games still continue at Root Square park in downtown Houston despite Harris County's stay at home policy on Friday, March 27, 2020.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer
10of80A Texas DPS trooper walks through Terminal A on Saturday, March 28, 2020, at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order mandating a two-week self-quarantine for anyone traveling to Texas from the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as the city of New Orleans, with Texas being their final destination. DPS is tasked with enforcing the order, and troopers were stationed at airports throughout the state to screen passengers arriving from those locations, starting at noon, Saturday, March 28, 2020.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
11of80Theresa Tat donates items at Memorial City Mall where a vital donation drive was held Saturday, March 28, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
12of80People donated items at Memorial City Mall where a vital donation drive was held Saturday, March 28, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
13of80Thomas Sandoval, III, left, an account manager with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, holds the door for a woman who made an appointment to donate blood at a mobile donation center Friday, March 27, 2020, at Memorial City Mall in Houston.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
14of80A worker removes ice from the ice-skating rink Friday, March 27, 2020, at Memorial City Mall in Houston. The mall and the skating rink are closed due to concerns about COVID-19.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
15of80Houston Fire Fighters load a truck of donated hand sanitizer made by PCCA, an FDA-registered and inspected chemical repackager on Friday, March 27, 2020. The company made the hand sanitizer using the recipe from the WHO's website.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer
16of80Tim Singleton, director of the Houston Parks and Recreation's Woodland Community Center, sits in the center's parking lot offering free lunches for kids on Friday, March 27, 2020 in Houston. Singleton said they are out Monday through Friday between 1-3 p.m. offering the meals for children.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
17of80A man rides a unicycle down Bayland Avenue before a parade of teachers from Travis Elementary School and other local school drive through the neighborhood near the school, Friday, March 27, 2020, in the Heights area of Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
18of80Teachers from Travis Elementary School wave to students, parents and neighbors as they parade through the neighborhood near the school, Friday, March 27, 2020, in the Heights area of Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
19of80Darragh Park is closed to help prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Galveston, Texas. A stay-at-home order is in place in Galveston, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez, Staff photographer
20of80(LtoR) Dandrew Brown, Andre Madison and Forty Landor ride their horses north down the esplanade along Scott Street, Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Houston. The friends said they were taking advantage of the weather and were making sure to try and stay six feet apart.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
21of80Court Stephens, 7, and his older brother Grant, 10, spent about 45 minutes writing inspirational messages around their neighborhood near E Tenth and Oxford Streets Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Houston. Alicia Stephens, the boys mother, said that they attend Christ Church Cathedral downtown. Since the COVID-19 outbreak the boys have taken Sunday school via the ZOOM app. Their youth leader encouraged families to spread sidewalk chalk encouragement this week.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
22of80Traffic on Interstate 69 Freeway as the sun sets on the first day of the stay-at-home order put in place by city and county officials Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez, Staff photographer
23of80A woman does her best to use social distancing as she stands back from the line of people boarding a Metro bus on Thursday, March 26, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
24of80A car wash on Kirby is open even though only essential businesses are to remain open during the stay-home-work-safe order Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
25of80A car wash on Kirby is open even though only essential businesses are to remain open during the stay-home-work-safe order Thursday, March 26, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
26of80Riders take different methods for social distancing on the Metro in Houston on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer
27of80Every other seat on the Metro in downtown Houston had reminders about social distancing in on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer
28of80Playground equipment is surrounded by caution tape to signals its closure, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at Memorial Park in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
29of80Mounted Houston Police Officers spent time along the Seymour Lieberman Trail, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at Memorial Park in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
30of80Signs remind customers to practice social distancing while waiting in line, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at H-E-B in Bellaire.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
31of80Traffic is more sparse than usual along the Southwest Freeway near Montrose Boulevard at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, March 25, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
32of80A few people spend time at the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Houston. City of Houston and Harris County officials issued a stay-at-home order on Tuesday due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The order is set to take effect at 11:59 p.m.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
33of80Greg Battle shoots hoops along on Lanier Court in Root Memorial Square, across the street from The Toyota Center, downtown, in Houston, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Battle says he shoots hoops four times a week at the court, which is usually bustling with activity.Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
34of80People run on the Seymour Lieberman Trail, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at Memorial Park in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
35of80Harris County Executive Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner begin a press conference announcing that the county will go into a more restricted lock-down until April 3, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at TranStar in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer
36of80Harris County Executive Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner find their places as they begin a press conference announcing that the county will adopt a "Stay Home, Work Safe" strategy until April 3, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at TranStar in Houston. Participants were placed six feet apart behind the podium for the announcement.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
37of80Shawn Smith, vet tech, takes a dog named Lucky from its owner’s vehicle into Lakeside Animal Clinic, 2501 S. Kirkwood Rd., for an exam Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Houston. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 the vet office is having people wait in their vehicle. A vet tech in personal protective equipment takes the animal in and out of the clinic.Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff photographer
38of80President of TXRX Labs Roland Vonkurnatowski, right, provides details on the face shield prototype he is holding to emergency medicine physician Jonathan Rogg outside Memorial Hermann -Texas Medical Center on Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Houston during a delivery of the shields to test.Photo: Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer
39of80A woman enters a mobile unit during a blood drive at Lakewood Church on Monday, March 23, 2020, in Houston. The Houston church, in partnership with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, are holding a blood drive all of this week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The drive is aimed to helping the blood shortage the U.S. is facing due to cancellations following the COVID-19 pandemic.Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer
40of80Aaron Andrus shops for a gun with the help of Louie Uribe, a sales associate at Top Gun Range, in Houston,Thursday, March 19, 2020. Gun sales have risen as people react to the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
41of80Congressman Al Green, left, Houston Health Department Kenneth House, center, and Marcus Wilhite transport boxes with a total of 8,000 N95 masks the office of the congressman was able to secure for the use of the city of Houston during the Covid-19 outbreak on Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff photographer
42of80Congressman Al Green transports boxes with a total of 8,000 N95 masks the office of the congressman was able to secure for the use of the city of Houston during the COVID-19 outbreak on Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Marie D. De Jesús, Staff photographer
43of80Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy E. Nehls along with his officers hand out disinfectant to residents of Fort Bend County at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Academy, in Richmond ,Sunday, March 22, 2020.Photo: Karen Warren, Staff photographer
44of80Fort Bend County Sheriffs officers hand out disinfectant to residents of Fort Bend County at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Academy, in Richmond ,Sunday, March 22, 2020.Photo: Karen Warren, Staff photographer
45of80Harris County Public Health Harriett Lewis LVN demonstrates her role during a media tour of a COVID-19 testing site where first responders and medical staff who have symptoms and have been pre-authorized to test Saturday, March 21, 2020, in Houston. Harris County Public Health and Houston Health Department and are not identifying the locations of the sites to prevent people from showing up and being turned away.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
46of80Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo talks to the media at a testing center at Butler Stadium in Houston on Saturday, March 21, 2020.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
47of80Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner talks with Sterling Taylor of Houston Methodist at the Houston Health Department free COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at Butler Stadium in Houston on Saturday, March 21, 2020.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
48of80A view of the COVID-19 testing site where first responders and medical staff who have symptoms and have been pre-authorized to test Saturday, March 21, 2020, in Houston. Harris County Public Health and Houston Health Department and are not identifying the locations of the sites to prevent people from showing up and being turned awa.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
49of80Toby Schwebel, manager B&B Butchers & Restaurant, dishes up a plate of food during a fund-raising pop up barbecue drive-thru at the restaurant on Saturday, March 21, 2020 in Houston. All funds raised during the event will go the restaurant's hourly employees, who have been put out of work during the restaurant shutdowns forced by the Coronavirus pandemic.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
50of80Arantxa Martinez, left, who works at Brennan's of Houston, Cristian Juarez, sous chef at Traveler's Table, and Robert Cantu, chef at Post Oak Grill, eat sandwiches given out by workers from Killen's BBQ on the hood of a car on Saturday, March 21, 2020 in Houston. Killen's BBQ handed out complimentary sandwiches and chips to members of the hospitality industry affected by coronavirus-related shutdowns in a pop up drive-thru at 101 Heights Blvd. In a post on Killen's BBQ Facebook page that they hope to keep using their resources and manpower to help feed workers until the restaurant closings are lifted.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
51of80Maria Garcia distributes student lunches to people as they sit in their vehicle Friday, March 20, 2020, at Douglas MacArthur High School in Houston. Aldine ISD is offering free curbside breakfast and lunch meals because schools were closed due to concerns about COVID-19.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
52of80People leave Douglas MacArthur High School after picking up student lunches Friday, March 20, 2020, in Houston. Aldine ISD is offering free curbside breakfast and lunch meals because of schools were closed due to concerns about COVID-19.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
53of80Mayor Sylvester Turner announces the opening of the City of Houston's first drive-thru testing site during a news conference on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
54of80Mayor Sylvester Turner speaks to Fire Chief Samuel Peña after announcing the opening of the City of Houston's first drive-thru testing site at a news conference on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
55of80Rep. Al Green speaks during a news conference where Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the opening of the City of Houston's first drive-thru testing site on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
56of80Mayor Sylvester Turner announces the opening of the City of Houston's first drive-thru testing site during a news conference on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
57of80Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of Harris County Pubic Health, speaks during a news conference where Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the opening of the City of Houston's first drive-thru testing site on Friday, March 20, 2020 in Houston.Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff photographer
58of80A healthcare professional talks to a driver as he waits in line at the drive-thru testing center that opened to health care professionals and first responders, Friday, March 20, 2020, at Butler Stadium in southwest Houston. Everyone who arrived was already pre-screened and had to provide a unique ID number at the entrance to gain access. The city says the location will open to the broader public in the future.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
59of80People wait in line at the drive-thru testing center that opened to health care professionals and first responders, Friday, March 20, 2020, at Butler Stadium in southwest Houston. Everyone who arrived was already pre-screened and had to provide a unique ID number at the entrance to gain access. The city says the location will open to the broader public in the future.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
60of80People line up in their cars for free drive-thru testing for Covid-19, Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the United Memorial Medical Center off of W. Tidwell in Houston. Drivers go through a series of three tents - screening, registration and then, if they qualify, testing. Two tents are set up for each step of the process.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
61of80Medical personnel transport a patient from their car to an isolation area after the person displayed severe symptoms when they drove up in their car to be tested at the drive-thru testing center that opening, Thursday morning, March 19, 2020, at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
62of80A medical professional asks an initial screening question to a driver in line for drive-thru Cover-19 testing, Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
63of80People line up in their cars for free drive-thru testing for Covid-19, Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the United Memorial Medical Center off of W. Tidwell in Houston. Drivers go through a series of three tents - screening, registration and then, if they qualify, testing. Two tents are set up for each step of the process.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
64of80Medical professionals register patients in line for drive-thru Cover-19 testing, Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
65of80People wait in line to be screened and possibly tested for Covid-19 in a line that extends east on W. Tidwell and north onto Yale Street, Thursday, March 19, 2020, at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
66of80Cyclists near the corner of Milam and Lamar in downtown Houston on Thursday, March 19, 2020. Hourly bicycle rentals have increased as less cars on the road as most businesses close their offices due to social distancing in HoustonPhoto: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer
67of80A healthcare worker talks to people as they wait in a line of vehicles at a My Family Doctor clinic on Hillcroft Street on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Houston. The clinic advertised on its website that it will conduct drive-through testing for COVID-19, for patients at risk of the disease.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
68of80Ashley Lia laughs with customer Kyle Rowland at Dumpling Haus HTX in Sawyer Yards in Houston on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The restaurant, that used to be just a pop-up, opened its brick and mortar establishment two months ago.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff photographer
69of80A woman walks to one of two parked cars in an otherwise completely empty parking lot at Franklin and La Branch Streets Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Houston. The city is seeing less traffic because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Staff photographer
70of80Terri Thomas walks to her rideshare on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 outside the Terminal C at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Thomas arrived home in Houston from New York, where she thought she was going to be stranded as restrictions due to COVID-19 continue to grow.Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
71of80A health professional with the Matagorda Medical Group checks the temperature of a woman entering the Matagorda County Court House on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Bay City, Texas. The first death in the state, caused by the new coronavirus, was a 90-year-old man from Bay City. The county started health screening this morning.Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez, Staff photographer
72of80Emmeline Soileau, 13, left, and her friend, Gracelyn Holland, 12, right, ride BCycles as friend, Reese Manuel, 12, second from left, and Emmeline’s mother, Pippa Soileau, wait at the BCycle Station outside City Hall Monday, March 16, 2020, in Houston. The group all from Lake Charles were in town to celebrate Emmeline’s birthday. They all were wearing gloves and Pippa had sanitizing wipes to use on the bike seats and handles.Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff photographer
73of80Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, left, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, right, with others hold a COVID-19 news conference at Houston TranStar, 6922 Katy Road, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Houston. They announced that starting tomorrow for 15 days, restaurants with be takeout only and all bars will be closed.Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff photographer
74of80Three girls receive egg cartons from volunteers at Milby High School on Monday, March 16, 2020, in Houston. HISD schools are closed to prevent further spread of the new coronavirus, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization last week. The school district, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank School Market program, will offer daily food distribution at five area high schools through Friday, March 20.Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez, Staff photographer
75of80People walk away from Milby High School after receiving food Monday, March 16, 2020, in Houston. HISD schools are closed to prevent further spread of the new coronavirus, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization last week. The school district, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank School Market program, will offer daily food distribution at five area high schools through Friday, March 20.Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez, Staff photographer
76of80Worshippers hold hands across the aisles during Sunday mass at Catholic Charismatic Center 1949 Cullen, in Houston,Sunday, March 15, 2020. The church normally has as many as 1200 parishioners on Sundays, however, many people opted to watch it live-streamed, as fears of being in large groups may have kept people home.Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
77of80Local men who are homeless hang out on Main Street in downtown Houston. Some feel they've been left out of the conversation on coronavirus prevention measures.Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
78of80A worker cleans the seats at Miller Outdoor Theater, Friday, March 13, 2020, at Hermann Park in Houston.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff photographer
79of80Custodian Jessica Frear uses cleaning solution as she disinfects a classroom at Lincoln Elementary School, Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Montgomery.Photo: Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer
80of80Nathan Feuquay, a senior from Lindale, Texas, rubs his face as he waits to load out after the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was cancelled due to concerns about COVID-19, on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at NRG Center in Houston. "If we were scared of it we wouldn't have come," he said.Photo: Jon Shapley, Staff photographer
If you think you may have coronavirus there are several steps to consider when seeking testing and treatment in the greater Houston area.
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1. Assess the severity of your symptoms. Monitor your symptoms every day to determine if they are getting better, unchanged or getting worse. Stay at home unless you are seeking medical evaluation. If you have questions consult your primary healthcare provider or your local health department coronavirus call center.
2. If your symptoms are mild, contact your primary care medical office. You will likely be asked a series of questions regarding recent travel, exposure to a patient with COVID19, other health conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, or pregnancy and your current symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. Your primary healthcare provider will direct you to either stay home to manage your symptoms or will instruct you where you can get tested with a healthcare provider order.
3. If your symptoms are mild and you do not have a primary care medical office, contact your local health department coronavirus call center for further instruction. The City of Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health offices have an online self-assessment tool to evaluate if you qualify for testing at checkforcorona.com. The questionnaire includes assessment of travel, COVID19 exposures, health conditions and current symptoms to determine your need for testing. After completion of the survey and if you qualify for testing, you will subsequently undergo a phone consultation to determine need for testing, will be given a testing code and a testing site.
4. If you are having worsening symptoms or moderate to severe symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Prior to going in for medical evaluation, call the medical office or the emergency room to alert them of your symptoms and concerns so they can be prepared for your visit. When seeking medical attention, if feasible wear a mask when entering into public spaces.
5. If you are experiencing a medical emergency call 911. Describe your symptoms to the operator and your concern for coronavirus.
Jill Weatherhead, MD, MS, is an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine’s National School of Tropical Medicine; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases; and Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases.