1. What is the Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)?

The new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a virus that was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China and causes respiratory tract infection; It causes COVID-19. This disease manifests itself with symptoms such as high fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, runny nose, muscle and joint pain, weakness, loss of sense of smell and taste, and diarrhea.

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses with single-stranded RNA, enveloped, with protein protrusions on the surface. In addition to mild and moderate respiratory diseases, it is also responsible for severe diseases such as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and COVID-19.

2. How is COVID-19 transmitted?

COVID-19 is transmitted by inhaling the droplets released by the sick person by coughing, sneezing or speaking, by other individuals in the environment, by touching the surfaces to which the droplets adhere, and by taking the hands to the mouth, nose or eyes.
3. How is COVID-19 diagnosed?

Definitive diagnosis is made by molecular tests. These tests are based on the principle of looking for the genetic material of the virus in the throat and/or nose swab taken from the person. In our country, the diagnosis is made by PCR test.

4. Is there a medicine to treat COVID-19 or prevent the disease from occurring?

There is no drug developed to prevent the occurrence of the disease. Sick people are treated according to the guidelines published by the Ministry of Health.

5. Can COVID-19 be treated with antibiotics?

The causative agent of the disease is a virus (SARS-CoV-2). Antibiotics are not used to prevent or treat infections caused by viruses.
6. What is the incubation period of SARS-CoV-2?

The incubation period of the virus is 2 to 14 days.

7. What are the symptoms of COVID-19 infection?

Disease; Although it manifests itself with symptoms such as high fever, cough, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, runny nose, muscle and joint pain, weakness, loss of sense of smell and taste, diarrhea, there are also patients who do not show any symptoms.

8. Who is more affected by COVID-19?

According to the data obtained, the risk of a severe course of infection is high in the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and COPD.

9. What is the Ministry of Health's work on preventing the spread of COVID-19?
- The developments in the world and the international spread of the disease are closely followed by our Ministry.
- The Coronavirus Scientific Committee has been established.
- Teams are formed on the basis of working 24/7.
- Necessary measures have been/are being taken in parallel with the recommendations of the World Health Organization.
- Precautions were taken in strategic areas such as airports and sea entry points, and what to do in case of suspected disease was determined.
- A guide has been prepared regarding the diagnosis of the disease, the procedures to be applied in the possible case, and prevention and control measures. Management algorithms have been created for the detected cases and the duties and responsibilities of the relevant parties have been defined. The guide is constantly updated.

10. Is there a vaccine for COVID-19?

There are different types of vaccines developed for COVID-19. For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, you can visit https://covid19asi.saglik.gov.tr website.

11. What should be done to protect from COVID-19?

Recommendations to reduce/prevent the transmission of acute respiratory infections also apply to COVID-19.
- Maintaining social distance between people should be ensured.
- In closed places and in open areas where social distance cannot be maintained, the mask should be worn, the mask should be changed as it gets wet, and the outer surface of the mask should not be touched.
- Hand hygiene should be given importance. Hands should be washed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and alcohol-containing hand antiseptics should be used in the absence of soap and water.
- Mouth, nose and eyes should not be touched without washing hands.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Hands should be washed, especially after direct contact with sick people or their surroundings.
- The mask should not be removed while coughing and sneezing, and then the mask should be changed by providing appropriate hand hygiene.

12. Is there a risk of COVID-19 contamination from packages or products delivered by cargo?

Viruses die after a short time in inanimate environments. Therefore, COVID-19 transmission from letters or cargo packages is not expected. The World Health Organization, CDC and ECDC have no restrictions on this issue. The main mode of transmission is close contact with the person carrying the virus. Close contact should not be made with the person bringing the cargo, and hands should be washed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after the package is received.

13. Does rinsing the nose with saline prevent catching COVID-19?

It is not thought that rinsing the nose with saline will help protect from COVID-19.

14. Does the use of vinegar prevent contracting COVID-19?

It is not thought that using vinegar will help protect from COVID-19.

15. How can I find out the result of my coronavirus test?

You can easily find out your test result via the E-pulse application of our Ministry. If you do not have a computer or smartphone, you can learn from your family doctor.

16. When does my quarantine/isolation period expire?

The quarantine and isolation times of close contacts and COVID-19 patients vary depending on whether they are vaccinated or not, and are detailed in the "Contact Tracking, Outbreak Management, Home Patient Monitoring and Filiation Guide".

17. Will I be grounded if I go to the hospital while in quarantine?

No. You can always apply to health institutions for your health needs. During this application, you must comply with the mask, social distance and cleaning rules, maintain social distance with other people and notify the health workers who will contact you. You should go to the health institution with your private vehicle, if not, you should get help from the 112 emergency medical teams.

18. How should I use my medication?

Be sure to use your medications as recommended by your doctor.

19. Why am I called when I am a COVID-19 patient or contact?

When you are a COVID-19 patient or contact, your family doctor and provincial/district health directorate will inform you about your situation and what you need to do at the first call. Afterwards, they will call you on the specified days and ask about your general health status, monitor you, and inform them about your health status by communicating with the provincial/district health management, hospital or 112 emergency medical teams if necessary. If you are not sick, but if you are in contact, he will ask questions to understand whether you have developed a coronavirus disease, come home when necessary, ensure that a sample is taken, or direct you to the hospital.

20. Can I go back to my residence address if it is determined that I have coronavirus while I am in a different city from my residence address?

If your PCR test result is found to be positive in your temporary location, you can travel to your original place of residence by your private vehicle (provided that you do not use public transport) to spend your isolation period. However, during this journey, break etc. In such cases, contact should not be made with other people.

21. Can I make changes to the address where I will complete my isolation or quarantine period, provided that it is within the same province?

The purpose of health management in isolation or quarantine is to prevent contact with other people and to stop the spread of the disease in this way. For this reason, it is not appropriate to change the address, as it will cause contact. However, for people in need of care such as the elderly or children, address changes are made after consultation with the district health administrations with the least possible contact.

22. Can my name be deleted from the contact list?

No. During the filiation studies, the health personnel determine the contacts after meeting with the person whose test is positive. The correctness of the contact is confirmed by communicating with the individuals whose names are reported as contact. The name is then entered into the system and cannot be deleted afterwards.

23. Is the disease transmitted to her baby while breastfeeding from a mother with coronavirus?

Breastfeeding is a priority for the baby's growth and development. Therefore, it is recommended that the mother continue to breastfeed her baby. However, the mother should follow all the isolation rules while taking care of her baby and breastfeeding. She should wash her hands, put on her mask and clean her nipples before breastfeeding her baby. Afterwards, she can safely breastfeed her baby. If the mother is using medication due to the Coronavirus, it is recommended not to breastfeed her baby and to express and pour the milk while using the medication. The mother can start breastfeeding again 24 hours after the drug treatment ends.

24. What is the risk of transmitting the disease after the coronavirus patient has completed the isolation period?

After the isolation period has expired, the person is not considered contagious. However, the person whose isolation period has expired has to continue to wear a mask when he goes out of his house, as per the rules. In addition, following the social distance rule is an effective method to protect not only from the coronavirus, but also from many infectious diseases.

25. Do I have to test after my isolation period has expired?

No. After the recommended follow-up period is over, you can return to your daily life and work.

26. My workplace wants an incapacity report, how can I get it?

If you are treated as an inpatient during your illness, your health report can be prepared by the physician following you, and if you are treated at home, by your family doctor through the e-report system of our Ministry. In addition, the teams coming to your home from the district health directorates for filiation can also issue a report upon your request.

27. There is a coronavirus patient at home, will samples be taken from us?

During the field visit, in case of symptoms of illness in people sharing the same house with the individual with COVID-19, test samples are taken by the injection teams by coming to the house.

28. Can I take the exam (interview, etc.) while I am in isolation/quarantine?

Before you take the exam, you can check the website of the institution that will take the exam to get information about the case and the status of the contacts. The rules to be followed in case these people are taken to the exam are explained by the relevant institutions. If taking the exam is in question, wear your mask when you go to the exam and inform the examiners that you are sick or in contact at the entrance of the exam.

29. How should we disinfect the house or apartment during the pandemic process?
It will be sufficient to clean your home or apartment with 1/100 diluted bleach (half of a small tea glass to 5 liters of water) and ventilate the environment.

30. I am a coronavirus patient, what should I pay attention to at home?
- You should not allow visitors to the house during the isolation period.
- You should wear a medical mask when you have to share the same environment with other person(s).
- You should eat your meal in a different room, separate from family members.
- Take care to drink plenty of water and eat healthy.
- If possible, you should stay in a different room, if possible, in a well-ventilated room to avoid the risk of contamination to the household. You should keep a distance of at least 2 meters between you and family members and wear a medical mask. If your mask gets damp, you should replace it with a new one. Especially if there are individuals who are over 60 years old and/or have risk factors for severe COVID-19 living at home, if possible, you should not stay in the same house or the risk of contact should be minimized.
- You should keep your movement in the house as limited as possible.
- If available, you should use separate toilets and bathrooms.
- If you are using a shared toilet and bathroom, these areas should be well ventilated. Bathrooms and toilets should be cleaned at least once a day with 1/100 diluted bleach. (Preparation of 1/100 diluted bleach: It is prepared by adding half of a small tea glass to 5 liters of water.)
- When coughing or sneezing, you should cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (preferably a disposable tissue paper), and throw away the dirty tissue you use by tightly closing its mouth with a nested nylon bag. You should wash your hands after coughing and sneezing.
- Should not share your personal belongings with others, should not use household items such as glasses, plates, towels; If you need to use them, they should be washed with soap and water. Textile products such as the clothes, towels and sheets you use should be washed with detergent at 60-90°C.
- Gloves and masks should be used while cleaning your room. In case of contamination by respiratory tract or body substances, after cleaning with water, soap or detergent, all surfaces should be cleaned with bleach prepared with 1/100 normal dilution. In case of obvious contamination, bleach prepared with 1/10 normal dilution should be used.

31. My isolation period has expired, why is my HEPP code still considered risky?

One day after your isolation period expires, the system of our Ministry will automatically correct your HEPP code.

32. My complaints increased at home, what should I do?

If you have a fever or shortness of breath that does not go away, especially despite taking antipyretic medication, you should apply to the health institution by wearing your mask, or if your complaints are severe enough to prevent you from applying to the hospital, you should call 112 and report your situation.

33. At the end of my isolation period, my test result was positive again. What type of treatment will be used?

Retesting is not recommended for patients at the end of the isolation period. However, if it is done and positive, no additional treatment is applied if your general health condition is good. However, if your complaints continue to increase, you should apply to the health institution again.

 

34. Why are we not deducted from the contact list after the death of the coronavirus patient?

Due to contact with a coronavirus patient, people are registered as contact and quarantined. The fate of a person with coronavirus (convalescence or death of the sick person) is not a decisive factor for the contact process. The purpose of the quarantine is to follow you in terms of the disease and to detect the symptoms of the disease in the early period. In addition, in this way, if you are sick, the transmission of the disease to other people will be prevented.

35. In case of death of a coronavirus patient, which institution takes care of the burial and how is the burial done?

In case the sick person dies, the person is buried in the normal way as in deaths other than COVID-19 disease. The point to be noted here is that no additional application is recommended other than the use of gloves, mask, goggles/face protection and liquid-proof apron during the washing of the person who will wash the deceased. It is sufficient to use only gloves while placing the corpse in the grave. During the burial process, the rules of distance and mask use must be followed. Burial services are provided by municipalities in metropolitan provinces and by mufti offices in other provinces.

https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/Eklenti/37704/0/covid-19rehberimorgvedefinhizmetleripdf.pdf

36. A coronavirus patient or contact is violating isolation/quarantine rules. Where can I make a complaint?

You can forward it to law enforcement.

37. Is home testing done for those who have no contact with a COVID-19 patient but have complaints similar to COVID symptoms?

No, it is not done.

38. Where and how should people going abroad have PCR tests done?

They can have tests done in designated health institutions and private hospitals and laboratories authorized by our Ministry for 170 TL.

39. I will go abroad, how many days before I have to take a test, how many days will my test result be valid?

Since the rules of each country are different, countries may require different time tests. For this reason, you should decide by taking into account the demand of the country, your flight time and the laboratory conclusion times in your province.

40. I took a screening test even though I don't have COVID symptoms, why do I appear to be quarantined in the system?

When you apply to the health institution with COVID-19 symptoms, you are registered in the system from the case module. Your isolation period starts 4 hours after giving the test and continues for 20 hours. You will remain active in the system and must remain in quarantine until your test result is available. After your test result is reflected in the system as negative, your process will be dropped from quarantine. This isolation is not applied in the weekly scans made by the institutions.

41. Can two or more cases of COVID-19 stay in the same environment?

Yes, it can stay. However, patients infected with the alarming variants should stay in single rooms whenever possible. If more than one patient is in the same environment, ventilation and cleaning should be done at frequent intervals, since the amount of virus in the environment will be high. .

42. How will people who are positive or contact provide their needs externally?

The needs of individuals with a positive COVID test are met by Vefa Support Groups if they do not have a relative they can reach. You can reach loyalty support groups by calling 112, 155 and 156.

43. I have had the disease before, is it possible to get sick again?

Yes, scientific data on the disease show that the disease can be relapsed in people who have had the disease. For this reason, people who have had the disease should continue their daily lives by following the mask and distance rules at the end of the isolation period.

44. If any symptoms develop at home during the isolation period, should I apply to the hospital or call 112?

difficulty in breathing,
Persistent and persistent chest pain
In case of drowsiness you should call 112

45. Is COVID-19 transmitted by mosquitoes?

There is no scientific data or evidence that COVID-19 disease is transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 transmitted to humans through mosquitoes so far.

46. I talked to a person who was quarantined as a close contact without wearing a mask and was in the same environment with this person, what should I do?

If you have met a person under quarantine, it is recommended that you pay attention to social distance, mask and hygiene practices, and monitor yourself for symptoms of illness.
If the person you are interviewing with develops COVID-19, you should follow up on symptoms yourself and apply to the nearest health institution by wearing a mask when the symptoms of the disease appear.

47. Where can I get a COVID-19 test?

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, etc.), you should apply to the nearest health institution. Your doctor will ask you for a test if necessary.

48. What is HES Code, How to Get It?

Hayat Eve Sığar (HEPP) Code is an application that allows you to securely share whether you carry any risk in terms of COVID-19 in case of being in public areas that require transportation, institution visits or individual communication during the Controlled Social Life period, thus supporting the follow-up of the epidemic.

HES Code can be obtained through Hayat Eve Sığar application, short message application (SMS) or e-Government Gateway.

To get the HEPP Code through the Hayat Eve Sığar application, enter the "HES Codes" section. Click the "Add New Code" button. One of the options “For Me” or “For My Children” and the code usage period are selected. The HES Code and the QR code of the code are created. When the "Infinitely" option is selected as the validity period of the code, the HES Code will be valid for 18 months.

To receive the HES Code via SMS, type HES and leave a space between them, respectively. Identity Number, T.C. The last 4 digits of the ID Serial Number and the requested sharing period (in days) are written with a space between them and sent to 2023 as a short message (SMS). (Example: HES 12345678901 1234 30)
The first of the two incoming messages contains the HES Code and the second contains the QR code of the code.

When receiving the HES Code by sending a short message (SMS), if the sharing period (as number of days) is not specified at the end of the message, the duration of the code will be limited to 1 year.

To get the HEPP Code through the e-Government Gateway, enter the "Ministry of Health" section from the "Institutions" tab. Clicking on the “HEPP Code Generation and Listing” heading is continued.

The HEPP Code is obtained in three steps via the e-Government Gateway.

Step 1: Click on the "On My Name" and "On behalf of My Child Under 18" options on the "Choosing the Person to Generate the Code" screen.

Step 2: On the “Code Information” screen, the code validity period is selected. When the "Infinitely" option is selected as the validity period of the code, the HES Code will be valid for 18 months. When the "Timed" option is selected, the validity period of the code is determined from the calendar that appears on the screen.

Step 3: Getting the HEPP Code is completed.
For detailed information about the HEPP Code, you can visit https://hayatevesigar.saglik.gov.tr/ website.

49. When can a COVID-19 patient or contact get the flu vaccine?

If the general condition of COVID-19 patients is good when their isolation period is over, there is no obstacle to getting the flu vaccine. In terms of response to the vaccine to be administered, it is recommended that the decision and time to vaccinate should be evaluated by the physician following the person, taking into account conditions such as lymphopenia, immunosuppression due to glucorticoids and other drugs used.
There is no harm in administering the flu vaccine for contacts after the quarantine period ends.

SOURCE: T.C. Ministry of Health Covid-19 Information Platform

https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/TR-66125/sikca-sorulan-sorular-halka-yonelik.html