Research related to COVID-19 is ongoing around the world and in our country. And gradually experts learn more and more about the insidious virus. Many observations made at the beginning of the pandemic are also confirmed. Respublika, together with the regional headquarters for combating the spread of coronavirus, prepared answers to the most popular questions.
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How to distinguish symptoms of COVID-19 from other SARS and influenza?
The respiratory symptoms in these diseases are very similar: fever, cough, shortness of breath. With coronavirus, the severity of symptoms most often increases gradually; flu is characterized by a sharper onset of the disease. Loss of smell and taste increases the likelihood of a diagnosis of COVID-19, but it is not 100% proof that a person is infected with the coronavirus.
Doctors note that in some cases, symptoms such as ear congestion or skin rashes, and diarrhea may also occur. But, be that as it may, conclusions are made on the basis of the cumulative clinical picture and the patient’s history. First of all, it is taken into account whether a person had contact with a COVID-19 patient, how close and/or long-term the contacts were, whether the patient has recently traveled abroad, to countries with a tense epidemiological situation.
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Why aren’t tests taken from people with suspected coronavirus?
Biological samples for PCR studies are taken most often on the 8-10th day of medical observation – if a person is at risk, but he has no symptoms. After the first symptoms appear, it is recommended to take tests on the third or fourth day. In this case, the probability of getting a false-negative test result for COVID-19 is minimal. This conclusion was made by foreign scientists who analyzed more than a thousand PCR tests. Russian experts agree with these conclusions: In the first days after infection, the concentration of the pathogen in the body is still too low, and laboratory research does not always reveal the virus.
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Can you treat mild COVID-19 yourself?
No. At the first symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, you need to see a doctor and stay at home. Before starting treatment, you can start taking drugs that stimulate the immune system. What cannot be done unambiguously is to “prescribe” antibiotics to oneself. In the treatment of viral infections, they are ineffective and can only be prescribed by a doctor if there is a risk of bacterial complications. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics can significantly harm health.
In the same way, strictly under the supervision of a physician, antiviral drugs should be used, and first of all favipiravir (in Russia it is produced under the names Areplivir, Coronavir, and Avifavir). These drugs can also have side effects, so only a doctor can assess the necessity and reasonableness of their appointment with a specific patient.
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Who needs to be especially careful with ARVI symptoms?
Being on isolation with mild ARVI symptoms, including before the diagnosis, everyone should carefully monitor their well-being. If you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, high fever, you must immediately report this to the clinic. With a rapidly increasing deterioration, call an ambulance.
People with chronic and other concomitant diseases, including diabetes mellitus, pathology of the heart and blood vessels, and kidney disease, need to be especially careful.
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Why not every patient with ARVI symptoms is given a computed tomography of the lungs? Doesn’t it help diagnose the coronavirus?
Computed tomography (CT) is done only if indicated. COVID-19 is not always accompanied by pneumonia. Conversely, if lung damage is detected, this does not mean that a person is infected with a coronavirus: other viral or bacterial infections also cause pneumonia.
It is important to remember that CT is not a completely safe procedure for health. In one session, the patient receives a six-month radiation exposure. Therefore, the doctor, before prescribing such a study, must carefully assess the patient’s symptoms: whether he has difficulty breathing, whether a decrease in oxygen in the blood is recorded, general intoxication, and a number of other important signs. If there are clinical manifestations of pneumonia, and even more so, the patient is hospitalized, a CT scan is prescribed. In short, computed tomography should be performed when it is absolutely necessary.
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Is it true that not only protective masks but also glasses help to reduce the risk of contracting coronavirus?
Yes, such studies have been carried out in China. Scientists have found that people who wear glasses become infected with coronavirus five times less often. This is due to the fact that the virus can enter the body, including through the mucous membrane of the eye. Therefore, in addition to protecting the respiratory system with a protective mask, an additional effect is also given by eye protection with the help of glasses, individual screens, or shields.
At the same time, of course, we must not forget about washing hands as often as possible, using skin antiseptics, and regularly disinfecting contact surfaces, including smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets.
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Why wear a mask in an elevator if the person is alone in it?
Today, protective masks are prescribed to be worn in all public places by the decree of Rospotrebnadzor. This list also includes elevators. The elevator is a cramped room, not ventilated, and there is a risk of infection after an infected person has passed through it. When you cough or sneeze, the aerosol containing viral particles remains in the air for some time. Therefore, when traveling in an elevator, you must also use personal protective equipment.
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Is it true that if you get vaccinated against the flu in a timely manner, the disease will be easier when infected with the coronavirus?
This conclusion, in particular, came from scientists from the University of Florida. They studied the results of more than 2 thousand people over 18 years of age and found that patients who had not been vaccinated against influenza for a year were hospitalized almost 2.5 times more often, and in intensive care units almost 3.3 times more often.
It is important to remember that the flu itself can cause serious complications for the lungs, upper respiratory tract, and cardiovascular system. The simultaneous infection with both the flu and the new coronavirus infection is especially dangerous. Therefore, timely vaccination against influenza is really important, and especially now, during a pandemic. We add that it is necessary to consult a doctor about contraindications.
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Can COVID-19 be reinfected soon after recovery?
In general, many experts agree that such cases are possible. Much depends on the body’s immune response upon first infection. If the disease was asymptomatic and immunity was poorly expressed, then re-infection cannot be ruled out. At the same time, cases of re-illness, that is, manifestations of symptoms of COVID-19, do not necessarily mean that a person completely got rid of the infection, and then soon caught it again. This may be an individual course of a prolonged infectious process due to the characteristics of the patient’s immunity.
Be that as it may, the formation of immunity to a new coronavirus infection is still under study. Therefore, experts are convinced that people who have been ill should in no case neglect personal protective equipment.
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How long does the body recover from a previous illness?
Of course, this depends on many factors, including the state of health of the person before the disease and the severity of the disease. Most often, after suffering COVID-19, people complain of shortness of breath, severe weakness, increased fatigue, impaired attention, and coordination.
If the patient required hospitalization, but the severe course of the disease was avoided, rehabilitation after discharge can take up to one month. But this is only if the person previously had good health, does not have concomitant diseases, and is not included in the risk group by age. For elderly people and/or those with chronic ailments, the rehabilitation process can take much longer. Help to recover, in particular, physiotherapy exercises, breathing exercises, massage.