Symptom Checker Helps Covid-Positive Australians Know When to Seek Medical Help

The healthdirect COVID-19 Symptom Checker has been updated to provide more detailed advice about when COVID-19 positive people should seek medical help, or how they can isolate and recover at home, based on their symptoms.

The COVID-19 Symptom Checker is an online tool that assesses a person’s symptoms and provides information and advice about the type of care needed based on the severity of their COVID-19 symptoms.

Healthdirect Australia, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nirvana Luckraj says the COVID-19 Symptom Checker was developed in March 2020 by Healthdirect Australia under strict clinical governance of medical specialists and is continually updated to ensure that the information is safe, accurate and compatible with national COVID-19 medical guidelines and advice.

“With mild COVID cases on the rise, we know people are concerned about when to seek medical help for their symptoms,” says Dr Luckraj.

“Our Symptom Checker translates COVID-19 medical information into a format that provides a clear path for people concerned about their symptoms, particularly that tipping point from mild to moderate symptoms.

“It helps people understand what symptoms are consistent with ‘mild COVID’ and provides reassurance that they can manage at home with rest and over-the-counter medications.

“The questionnaire-based tool takes people through more serious symptoms, such as having a fever over 38 degrees, breathlessness at rest, dizziness, and a bad headache, which may require medical support, and provides advice on what to do if they are experiencing these symptoms.

“It also asks about very severe symptoms that would require immediate medical attention, such as breathlessness to the point a person can’t speak, fainting, skin turning pale or blue, and pain in the chest, among others.

Knowing the range of symptoms for COVID helps people know when to seek help. We have a responsibility to ensure our services support Australia’s health system during the pandemic by helping people understand what care is most appropriate for them and reducing demand on emergency services and our health services when possible.

“I recommend every Australian downloads the free healthdirect app to ensure this information is available at their fingertips for reassurance and guidance when experiencing COVID symptoms,” says Dr Luckraj.

The COVID-19 Symptom Checker has been used 2.9 million times since it was launched in March 2020.

The Symptom Checker is also available on the healthdirect website, which includes a comprehensive information hub to support people with mild symptoms to manage their illness at home. It is also available on the Department of Health website and the healthdirect app.

The types of questions and health advice provided by the healthdirect Symptom Checker are written and designed to be understood by the general public. It is written in plain English with clear next steps, in accordance with best-practice health literacy principles.

It integrates with the healthdirect Service Finder to connect people with nearby health services if needed.

Health advice for recovering from mild COVID-19 symptoms

Mild COVID-19 symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sore throat, aches and pains, dry cough, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite or nausea, or loss of or change in taste or smell.

Adults with a mild case of COVID-19 can treat their symptoms in a similar way to how they would treat a cold or flu: 

• Rest is important
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve pain and low fevers
• Stay hydrated by drinking regular sips of water including drinks containing electrolytes if possible
• Use throat lozenges to soothe a sore throat