Sorting out the Facts from the Fiction is crucial in times of any emergency to keep ourselves and those close to us safe.  However, we need to know where to focus our attention and what information to trust amid the millions of words written about the COVID-19 crisis.

The Hedland Collective is committed to supporting Hedland with important and accurate advice on how to protect themselves and their families.  We are also committed to only providing official government endorsed information on the COVID-19 pandemic.

All of the latest Federal Government and WA State Government information on the COVID-19 is available at the following links:

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

https://www.wa.gov.au/government/coronavirus-covid-19

The following information is from the Australian Government Department of Health

What you need to know

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath. Symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia. Some people will recover easily, and others may get very sick very quickly.

How it spreads

• close contact with an infectious person

• contact with droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
• touching surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face

How to avoid it

• cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue
• wash your hands often with soap and water
• use alcohol-based hand sanitisers
• clean and disinfect surfaces and frequently used objects such as mobiles, keys and wallets
• stay at home when you are unwell
• avoid public gatherings if they’re not essential
• keep a distance of 1.5m from other people whenever possible
• minimise physical contact, especially with people at higher risk such as older people and people with health conditions

If you are sick

If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, seek medical attention. If you want to talk to someone about your symptoms first, call the Coronavirus Health Information Line for advice on 1800 020 080.

If you have serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, call 000 for urgent help.

To seek help from a doctor, call ahead of time to book an appointment.

Getting tested

You will only be tested if your doctor decides you meet these criteria:

• You have returned from overseas in the past 14 days and you develop respiratory illness
• You have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days and you develop respiratory illness
• You have severe community-acquired pneumonia and there is no clear cause
• You are a healthcare worker who works directly with patients and you have a respiratory illness and a fever

Staying well

It’s not only physical effects that we need to be conscious of. It’s important to keep in mind our psychological and emotional wellbeing, because thinking constantly about the threat of pandemic can also take a toll. Keeping active and maintaining healthy connections in our communities, even if they need to be in a virtual way for now, are effective ways to feel we have a measure of control over our own lives, even as things are a bit chaotic all around us.

The Hedland Collective will provide regular updates and links with information on how we can take care of ourselves and support each other etc during the pandemic.

Stay strong and stay safe!