COVID-19

As we head into the winter season, we need to be more aware of what to expect with respect to Covid-19 and how we can stay safe. We will explore the signs and symptoms of Covid-19 and what precautions to take in navigating the holiday season as safely as possible.

Symptoms of Covid-19 can include fever, body aches, extreme fatigue, sore throat, headaches, cough, loss of sense of taste or smell, loose stools, congestion, shortness of breath, nausea, or vomiting. Some of these symptoms overlap with the flu. During the flu season, it is often difficult to distinguish between the two except for laboratory testing. Adults over the age of 65 or people with heart and lung conditions or compromised immunity are at higher risk of developing severe infections. Covid-19 is more easily transmitted and people can stay infectious longer. After getting exposed you can develop symptoms up to 14 days later.

When experiencing the above symptoms it is worth checking if you have been in contact with anyone who was recently sick in the last two weeks. Have you been practicing the recommended precautions, have you traveled recently, visited public places, restaurants for indoor dining? Have you been using masks regularly and practicing social distancing measures of at least 6 feet? If you have been practicing these, have everyone in your family been practicing the same precautions? 

The CDC has recommended precautions that everyone should be practicing on a daily basis. You should wash your hands regularly, especially before eating and handling foods. And use soap and water and scrub for 20 seconds. If soap is not available use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. You should avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, and avoid close contact and keep a distance of 6 feet whether indoors or outdoors. Anyone ages 2 and above should wear a mask covering both your nose and mouth in public settings or around people who are not in your household. The mask should be made of two layers of breathable and washable fabric. Also, you can clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly.

If you are having symptoms you should stay home and let your doctor know. For most people, the symptoms are mild and they recover with symptom management at home, resting, and staying hydrated. Do not leave home except to get medical care and do not use public transport. Try to stay in one room with access to a restroom. If you know or think you had a Covid-19 infection, then you can be around others after 10 days of when the symptoms appeared. And you have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications and other symptoms of Covid-19 are improving.

If your doctor recommends testing, most of the time in the flu season you will be tested for both the flu and Covid-19. Flu testing is always rapid and you get the results in 15 minutes or so with good reliability. The same cannot be said for Covid-19. If a rapid testing (results in 15 minutes or so) is done and if you do not have symptoms or minimal symptoms the likelihood of the test being true negative is lower. If you get the PCR test done the true negative likelihood is higher. If either test is positive then the likelihood that it is a true positive is very high.

Most of the time, it is recommended to get the PCR test done as it is more reliable. The main drawback being it can take anywhere from 24-72 hours to get back the results. If the symptoms are more severe it increases the accuracy of these tests. Sometimes multiple tests may be required to be sure if the suspicion for Covid-19 infection is high. 

Another test available is the antibody test. Unlike the above-mentioned viral tests, these tests do not check for current infection. It can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks to develop the antibodies. These tests are recommended to be ordered by your physician based on your clinical scenario and only if the test will add useful information, in managing your clinical case. This test gives information about past exposure and is not specific for Covid-19 and can be positive if you had any other coronavirus infection.

Currently, there are no vaccines available for Covid-19. There are several vaccines being developed under operation Warp Speed using a variety of methods some tried and tested and some more novel. Safety is the top priority when it comes to approving vaccines for public use. There are several ongoing trials using stringent safety and efficacy criteria. All the trials are reviewed by the FDA before approving any. Once the FDA approves a vaccine, it is then reviewed by ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ), a Federal advisory committee made up of medical and public health experts who give recommendations on the public use of vaccines in the U.S. Initially, the supply is expected to be limited, so several ethical considerations will be taken into account when prioritizing who should be vaccinated first. 

It is very important this flu season that as many people vaccinate for flu as possible. It will not protect against Covid-19 but can decrease the flu burden on health care and help direct more resources for dealing with Covid-19. Traveling during the holiday season is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. Do not travel if you are sick or have been around someone who has been sick for 14 days. Follow the precautions mentioned above if you have to travel.

The pandemic is stressful for everyone from children to the elderly. It is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly, drink plenty of water, eat healthily, and sleep well. Remember to continue to take care of your physical and mental health. Keep your doctor's appointments as most have shifted to telemedicine and have implemented a lot of safety measures for in-person visits. The chances of getting infected with Covid-19 while following precautions are low, but the chronic diseases will continue to progress if not managed diligently. Continue with your health screenings as recommended by your health care provider as everyone is following the utmost precautions in getting these done safely.