Self care during COVID-19
Your ability to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health-care provider is known as self care.
People have been practicing self care for thousands of years. Now an increase in self-care interventions is shifting the way health care is perceived, understood and accessed, and adding to the many medicines, diagnostics, and technologies available for people to use themselves.
Physical distancing, good respiratory hygiene and hand washing are important examples of self-care actions you can take every day to protect against COVID-19, and there are many other areas in which self care can make a difference to your health and well-being during the coronavirus disease pandemic, including for your sexual and reproductive health.Here are ten actions you can take to protect and improve your sexual and reproductive health:
Practice safe and consensual sex
At present, there is no evidence of sexual transmission of the virus responsible for COVID-19. The virus can be passed however, through direct contact with saliva, for instance, kissing. Sexual activity does not cease with the COVID-19 pandemic, and by following the guidance for safe and consensual sex during periods of self-isolation, you can protect your health and the health of your sexual partner(s).
Use condoms to prevent unintended pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection
Condoms, when they are used consistently and correctly, are the only method of contraception that help to prevent unintended pregnancy and protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. They can be used together with other methods of contraception to protect against both unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Contraception and family planning information and services are life-saving and important at all times. WHO recommends that health systems increase access to condoms and lubricants for safer sexual practices, including through community, peers and pharmacy-based distribution points.
Contraception and COVID-19 Q&A
Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context
If you need contraception, consider a self-injectable
All modern methods of contraception are safe to use during COVID-19, but in case you cannot access your contraceptive method of choice, consider using methods that are recommended for self-care in your country. These may include depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) in the form which can be self-administered under the skin (DMPA-SC) with appropriate information and training.
During COVID-19, WHO recommends that countries relax requirements for a prescription for self-injectable contraception and enable pharmacies to provide multi-month prescriptions.
Contraception and COVID-19 Q&A
WHO recommendations on self-care interventions: Self-administration of injectable contraception
Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context
HIV self-testing kit
If you might be at risk for HIV, seek HIV self-testing
HIV self-testing allows you to collect your own specimen (either oral fluid or blood), perform a test and interpret the results in a private setting. It is an empowering and discreet approach to HIV testing services, and an effective self-care intervention during periods of lockdown when testing in facilities is disrupted.
WHO recommends countries increase the availability of self-testing for HIV during COVID-19, with referral to re-testing and treatment if needed. Find out if these approaches are available through your health care system.
Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context
A woman in Guatemala holds a vaginal self-sampling kit for cervical cancer screening
For Cervical cancer screening, you can choose self-sampling for HPV
Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling is where a woman uses a kit to collect a vaginal sample, in private, and then drops the sample off to pharmacies or facilities for testing. Testing for certain types of HPV can identify cervical cancer, which is the fourth most common type of cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer deaths in women living in low- or middle-income countries.
WHO recommends that countries promote this method of screening. HPV self-sampling is evidence-based and accurate, particularly for women at higher risk, including women living with HIV, and can be accessible while the COVID-19 outbreak is disrupting screening and treatment programmes around the world.
Find out if you are eligible for self-management of abortion
COVID-19 is disrupting many sexual and reproductive health services and access to contraception. The reduction in these essential services is expected to lead to increases in unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.
For health systems reorganizing around the demands of COVID-19, WHO recommends that self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health are prioritized. This includes ensuring access to safe abortion to the full extent allowed by law, including self-management of medical abortion with access to an appropriately-trained provider, if needed, and using an appropriate WHO-recommended method (administered orally). Post-abortion care should also be provided as an essential service.
What you can do about menstrual hygiene
School closures and stay-at-home measures can make it hard to get menstrual health information or products.
You may be able to access menstrual hygiene products from different sources, including health facilities which can include menstrual products in lists of priority health products. Find out from community groups what contingency plans pre-COVID19 school-based distribution programmes may have made, or pick up over-the-counter products, if affordable. You may also wish to consider using alternative, reusable menstrual health products.
Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context
Patient and midwife during a telemedicine consultation with experts
Access telemedicine for support during pregnancy
The risks of unattended childbirth outweigh the risks of COVID-19 transmission in health facilities. WHO recommends that all essential elements of antenatal care and postnatal care are maintained during the pandemic, and that women and newborns have access to skilled and respectful care at all times.
However, use of digital health technologies to reach health workers for counselling and support if needed can help to reduce your number of visits to health facilities, if these can be adequately covered through digital platforms – for example, certain antenatal care visits where there are no determined risks.
Be kind to yourself and to others
Whilst this is a frightening time, avoid discriminating against people because of your fears of the spread of COVID-19. Instead, take action to look after your own health and give help to others who may need some extra support and care.
You can also help individuals who are not able to access sexual and reproductive health services for whatever reason during the pandemic. Respect for dignity, equity and human rights will ensure that those who need health care can receive it without facing stigma, discrimination, violence, coercion or being at risk of financial hardship.
Get information from trusted sources
Fear and misinformation can increase your risk of infection, mortality and complications from COVID-19, as well as other health conditions you or those you are caring for have.
Last year WHO launched the first consolidated guideline on self-care interventions for health, starting with the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
This is an important step in placing people and their needs at the center of health care, bringing quality interventions to them, while maintaining the links to and accountability of the health system - during COVID-19, and far beyond.
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