COVID-19 symptoms updated in guidelines

With the continued global mutation of the COVID-19 virus, the Ministry of Health has updated their symptom list with less typical non-respiratory symptoms that COVID-19 patients could present with.

The less typical symptoms include:

• fever,
• diarrhoea,
• headache,
• myalgia,
• nausea/vomiting, or
• confusion/irritability - where there is no other likely diagnosis.

The various COVID-19 alert level guidelines for oral health services have been updated accordingly to include these less typical symptoms. The changes impact patient risk assessment questions that determine the patient risk category under which oral health treatment could occur.

Please familiarise yourselves with the new questions, and the impact on the risk assessments. Appendix 2 of the guidelines reference the specific pages in the document that have changed.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions on this change.

Stay safe.