A nurse holds swabs and test tube to test people for COVID-19 at a drive through station set up in the parking lot of the Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

Feeling a respiratory infection setting in and wondering what to do?

Symptoms of COVID-19 that may appear 2-14 days after exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control, are fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Dr. Bob England, director of the Pima County Health Department,Β  offers these guidelines and information,Β which could change if the COVID-19 cases increase to a much higher level here:

  • Gauge how sick you are and take it from there. If you feel sick enough that you would have gone to a doctor before the COVID-19 outbreak, call ahead and see if your doctor can provide testing or get you tested for influenza.
  • If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms that are alarming, it’s still more likely to be influenza than COVID-19. Contact your doctor and discuss your symptoms. Getting tested for influenza quickly will help you get antiviral medication that will help ease symptoms.
  • One of the primary objectives right now for the community is to keep people out of the emergency rooms unless they need to be there.Β  Make phone calls first unless it's an actual emergency. One thing to watch for is shortness of breath.Β 
  • If you do go to your doctor, be sure to call ahead so they can put a mask on you as soon as you get to the office.

For updated case counts and more information about COVID-19, visit pima.gov/COVID19.


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Contact reporter Patty Machelor at 806-7754 or pmachelor@tucson.com