Private: Frequently Asked Questions

If you are experiencing chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 000 now.

Getting tested for COVID-19 early could save your life. People who have COVID-19 may not be very sick in the first few days of their infection but could go on to develop severe illness. You can spread COVID-19 to other people before you have symptoms, and even if you only have mild symptoms.

It is important to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible when you have any symptoms or feel sick in any way because you may already be contagious. You can use a rapid antigen test or a PCR test. If you test positive using a rapid antigen test you must start isolating immediately and register your positive result online.

If you can’t access a rapid antigen test or a PCR test you must start isolating immediately. You can go to a testing site during your isolation period. For more details about accessing COVID-19 tests, click here.

If you do test positive for COVID-19, the COVID-19 Positive Pathways program provides health monitoring and support from your GP and local health service. For more information about this program and other support available to you, visit the Department of Health. If you have certain medical conditions that affect your immune system, you may be eligible to receive treatment with a medication that can prevent severe complications of COVID-19.

For information in other languages, click here.

Coronavirus is also called COVID-19 and is caused by a virus called Sars-CoV-2. It is a respiratory disease that can be very mild, similar to a common cold, or in some people it can cause very severe illness requiring hospitalisation. COVID-19 is a new disease which means people do not have any immunity to this, unlike the common cold or influenza (flu). Most people who get COVID-19, around 8 out of 10, do not need to go to hospital and recover from their illness at home. However about 2 out of 10 people need to be admitted to hospital and some will require intensive care (life support) and some die from the illness. The risks of severe disease are particularly high for those who have not been vaccinated.

Anyone can get COVID-19, but people who are more at risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 are those who have not been vaccinated, those over 60 years old, or people who already have a medical condition like high blood pressure, heart and lung problems, diabetes, obesity or cancer. Pregnant women are also more at risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19.

For more information, visit the World Health Organisation website (WHO website).

For information in other languages, click here.