Novel coronavirus: what to do when you suspect you have covid 19

So an ounce of prevention outweighs a pound of cure. It is best to wash one's hands and not to touch one's face and have all kinds of prevention strategies. But in the case where there's just too much of the virus around and you suspect you've caught it, here's what I'd do.

Being a nurse, I'm usually way too paranoid so I'd actually check the differential symptoms with the common cold, flu, and allergies first.

But the American CDC has actually come out with an AI named Clara who'll help you to see if you need to be tested: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html

In Taiwan, there's a government hotline number you can call (1922) and they can help to decide if you need testing and where to get it done.

Most people without pre-existing conditions or younger than 65 who have mild symptoms can recover at home in isolation (American CDC). This is also not to overwhelm the hospital systems.

You would do the same things you'd do if you were sick at home with the cold/flu, except everyone who you live with will also have to do the same things and not go out. As parents, we're pretty used to our kids coming down with some sort of sickness and all of us having to stay at home. Although the past two times our son ended up in the hospital with pneumonia so we're extra nervous and even though Taiwan has not imposed lock-down, we've imposed self-quarantine for awhile now.

We don't check the mail, no one really mails anymore anyways. And our groceries are delivered to our apartment complex.

It's drinking a lot of fluids and sleeping it off like my husband and son are demonstrating here (when they didn't have any sickness).

However, if you suspect you or someone in your home has Covid-19 which is highly contagious, be sure to give the person with the suspected case their own separate sets of linens/towels, room, silverware, personal hygiene items, toys. But if you're the parents of a child who is not totally independent yet, try to have one designated parent who is healthy (or more healthy) to take the child and get them to rest, drink a lot and play in a designated area (their own personal fort/room that others aren't allowed to come in for two weeks).

https://x362.blob.core.windows.net/downloads/4dd80372933d49e3b83a04934dd0d487/medical-information-covid-19-how-to-care-for-someo.pdf

For our son who was 3 when the coronavirus hit, we had to sit down and explain why everyone is out wearing masks and why he had to wash his hands and sing the alphabet song so many times. This cartoon PDF from United 4 Children may be helpful:
https://united4children.org/2020/03/childrens-story-explaining-coronavirus/