COVID-19 or another respiratory infection

Instructions in case of COVID-19 or another respiratory infection

Whether you are suffering from COVID-19, influenza or any other upper respiratory tract infection, please do not go to work, school or daycare. Avoid contact with everyone outside your family until you no longer have a fever and your symptoms are clearly milder. These guidelines also apply to children.

You can do a home test if you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, fever, nausea or diarrhea. It is recommended that you do the home test immediately and after two days have passed.

If you cannot stay at home by simply notifying your supervisor or getting their permission, notify your occupational healthcare provider in order to apply for medical leave.

If you cannot manage with the symptoms at home

Please call the guidance and booking services of your health centre if you have severe respiratory symptoms and you require medical attention urgently. The emergency clinic of Näsi Health Centre in Porvoo is available without appointment, but other health centres require an appointment. If you come to the health centre, we strongly recommend that you wear a mask and use hand sanitiser.

Contact information

In the evenings and at weekends, you can call the HUS Medical Helpline 116 117. Call the Medical Helpline if you cannot manage your respiratory symptoms at home. For example, if you are experiencing shortness of breath or your overall condition becomes worse. The Medical Helpline will assess your need for care and direct you to a suitable care provider. In the evenings and weekends, the regional emergency clinic is in Porvoo Hospital.

The Medical Helpline does not book appointments for COVID-19 testing or vaccinations or provide test results or medical statements for an absence.

Cancel or reschedule your appointment if you become ill

If you have booked an appointment with the social or healthcare services of East Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County and you fall ill with COVID-19 or another respiratory infection, please cancel or reschedule your appointment. You can come to an appointment when you no longer have a fever and your symptoms are clearly milder.

COVID-19 testing

For COVID-19 testing, we recommend home tests. You can do a home test if you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, fever, nausea or diarrhoea. It is recommended that you do the home test immediately and after two days have passed.

If you had COVID-19 less than three months ago and you develop symptoms again, the test results may not be reliable. The results may be positive for several weeks since falling ill the first time.

When should you get tested by a professional?

You should get officially tested for COVID-19 at a laboratory if:

• the Omaolo service, the Coronabot or a healthcare worker advises you to do so
• you are pregnant
• you are at risk of developing severe COVID-19
• you are at increased risk of thrombosis.

The fastest way to book an appointment for an official COVID-19 test is to use HUS’s Coronabot. You can use the service to make an appointment for a test yourself. For this, you will need an online banking ID or a mobile ID. You can also use the Coronabot to book a test appointment for a child.

A COVID-19 test requires a referral and a booked appointment. If you are unable to book an appointment via the Coronabot, please call the service and booking number of your health centre.

Test results

The results will be ready within a day from the test.

You will be informed of the test results by text message.

The results are also published on My Kanta(siirryt toiseen palveluun).

COVID-19 testing for travel

If you are planning to travel abroad from Finland and you need to take a COVID-19 test, you must book a test appointment at a private testing facility. Such tests are not free, and reimbursements from Kela are not available for them.

Medication for COVID-19

Medication for COVID-19 (Paxlovid®) is available in Finland. The purpose of the medication is to prevent severe forms of COVID-19. A home test result is sufficient for starting the medication, but the results will also be confirmed with a laboratory test. Medication should start within five days from the initial symptoms. It is intended for at-risk persons over 18 who are experiencing symptoms, if they are not pregnant and do not require additional oxygen.

The medication is free for the patient. It will be provided via specialised or primary healthcare.

We are following the instructions of HUS regarding the target groups of pharmaceutical treatment. Check if you are eligible for receiving the COVID-19 medication:

On the website, you can also find the contact information intended for patients in specialised care. If you are eligible to receive the medication but you are not a patient of specialised healthcare for your condition, please call Pihlajalinna’s centralised service line for Paxlovid matters, tel. +358 (0) 40 541 1688, Mon–Sun 9.00–16.00.

Increased risk of thrombosis

A COVID-19 infection increases the risk of thrombosis (blood clotting) slightly. Some patients benefit from anticoagulant injections, available at your health centre.

If your symptoms are mild and you have no fever, there is usually no need for the anticoagulants. If you have a fever (38 °C or above) or a cough or shortness of breath that affects your overall condition, you are pregnant or you must be in constant bed rest due to an illness, read the list of risk factors available on the HUS website. If you suspect you may be at an increased risk of thrombosis, please call your health centre to assess your need for medication.

Face masks and hygiene

When you visit any location of social and healthcare services, we strongly recommend that you wear a mask. If you do not have a mask of your own, you can request one from the staff. The staff members will provide guidance to customers on how to wear a mask.

Wearing a mask is strongly recommended to all visitors aged seven or older in care homes and rehabilitation wards. We wish you would also use hand sanitiser when visiting our locations.