Table 1 Examples of meanings units, codes, categories and themes from qualitative content of interviews about experiences of COVID-19 patients under home-based care

When my son's cough intensified, I called the doctor and they sent an ambulance to come and take him” [P11, 60 years female, IDI]

When I got COVID-19, waking up became a problem because I had general body pains so it became a bit difficult. I would wake up at around 9-10 am and I wouldn't have energy to get out of bed” [P01, 35 years, female, IDI]

Symptoms of COVID-19

Participants argued that they experienced persistent and worsening intermittent signs and symptoms of the COVID-19 disease

Experiences of COVID-19 patients and survivors managed under home-based care

We all got shocked and what came in mind was death. People were dying. When you'd listen to the radio, we were all only hearing about people dying of COVID-19. We were in fear. We even lost sleep because we thought that we were going to die” [P11, 60 years female, IDI]

Fear and anxiety

Participants reported several forms of fear due to the misconception that when one gets COVID-19, they wouldn’t survive

After two weeks, I went back to hospital to do a test to confirm if I had recovered and I found the laboratory closed. I was then sent out by a health worker saying that they didn't know if I had recovered or not. I felt segregated, lonely and isolated” [P01, 35 years female, IDI]

There's no way I could move anywhere because when people see you, they would think you're spreading the disease. Even the pupils I was teaching, they could see me and run. They even nicknamed, "corona". One day I tried to move out because they'd told her to be doing exercise, when the children saw them, they started shouting, "corona, corona" and we decided to come back home” … [P11, 60 years, female, IDI]

Stigma

Participants reported having experienced stigma both at the health facilities and community, as they sought services from the health facilities and try to related with members in the community