Covid symptoms: 6 tips when you suspect the disease

Dr. José David Orbíz-Prito, President of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI) in the Federal District, highlights the importance of testing to properly detect coronavirus.

“Whenever you develop symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as coughing, runny nose and sore throat, among others, it is essential to seek the correct diagnosis,” he asserts.

In this case, the ideal option would be to undergo a test capable of detecting the coronavirus (or parts of it, such as genetic material), such as antigen tests or RT-PCR.

These methods are also indicated if you have had contact with a suspicious person or who was diagnosed with Covid in the past 14 days.

Antigen tests are less accurate, but usually give a result within 15 to 30 minutes. On the other hand, RT-PCR is the gold standard for disease detection, but the report takes a few days to complete, according to the US CDC.

If the result is negative (i.e. you do not have Covid disease), it is possible to resume activities, following basic precautions, such as using masks, avoiding crowds, and taking the vaccine (if you do not complete the two- or three-dose schedule).

Now, if the result is positive (which means you have Covid disease), it is important to follow the basic guidelines detailed below.

The transmission of the Corona virus occurs through droplets and droplets of saliva that leave the nose and mouth of an infected person and invade the organism of individuals in the same environment.

Therefore, the best way to protect others is to avoid contact with them.

If you share the house with family and friends, it is important that everyone wears high-quality masks, especially when you are close to them or in the same room – if possible, try to stay away from other residents and do not share the same bathroom or personal items, such as cutlery, glasses and towels.

Currently, there is debate about how long this withdrawal period should last among affected people. On December 27, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States changed direction He went on to request isolation of those infected with the virus for only five days.

In other countries, such as United kingdom e AustraliaThe isolation period ranges from seven to ten days, calculated from the positive test result or the onset of symptoms.

Dr Silvia Limos Henriksen, Biosafety Adviser to the SBI, recognizes that the current situation requires a certain amount of caution.

He estimates that “as omicron progresses and cases increase, it seems prudent to continue to respect this seven to ten day period.”

Orbize Britto agrees. “The recommendation to remain in isolation for up to ten days remains in place, as long as on the ninth day you do not have other symptoms.”

As the name implies, solitude means leaving the house for almost nothing – the only exception being medical appointments or an emergency room visit, if necessary.

The third step in the list is to call or text the people you interacted with in the 14 days prior to your positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Most likely, you already contracted it before the initial symptoms appeared (eg cough, sore throat, fever, malaise, body aches). Therefore, there is a high risk that you may have passed the coronavirus to those close people.

When you tell them you have Covid, they can be more aware of your symptoms and get tested – if they also have the disease, they should be isolated, avoiding creating new chains of transmission in the community.

If you have children or are a guardian of a child or teen with COVID, tell the school (if they attend face-to-face lessons) so that the rest of the class, teachers, and staff are also aware and caring of each other.

It is also important to notify the head of human resources at the company you work for, especially if you have contacted any other employees in the days before the diagnosis.

“In the midst of a pandemic, informing loved ones after they test positive is a responsible and ethical position, as it allows people to plan and pay more attention to their health,” says Hinrichsen.

Most of the time, the initial discomforts of the coronavirus, such as fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, discomfort, and diarrhea, tend to improve over time.

Monitor all symptoms during the isolation period and seek professional help if they worsen (or new and unexpected manifestations appear).

“This care is essential, even when we think of the elderly or patients with comorbidities,” Hinrichsen advises.

“An individual over 60 who has diarrhoea, for example, can be dehydrated or develop pneumonia because secretions build up in the lungs too quickly,” the doctor continues.

If there is a possibility, the SBI counselor suggests that affected persons have an oximeter at home.

This small device measures the amount (or saturation) of oxygen in the blood and can trigger early warning of pulmonary complications before severe COVID-19 symptoms, such as shortness of breath, appear.

“Oxygen saturation should be above 95%. If a person sees this number reach 98% and starts dropping to 97%, 96%, 95% and 94%, that is really a warning to look for service health,” he says.

“In addition to taking the pulse oximetry twice a day, it is essential to go to the emergency room immediately if the patient has a fever and severe muscle pain, especially after the sixth or seventh day of symptoms,” Orbeez-Prito adds. .

And the infectious disease specialist adds: “In these cases, it is possible to perform an intervention with oxygen and some drugs, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and thrombolytics, which will reduce the mortality rate.”

The professionals consulted by BBC News Brazil also demand a lot of attention from advertisements for homemade treatments and recipes to “cure” the coronavirus – the vast majority of these interventions have not even been evaluated in scientific studies and are not recommended by national and international health agencies.

Even some drugs that have been famous since the beginning of the epidemic as supposed “early treatments”, such as hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and nitazoxanide, have been researched, but they have not shown any effectiveness against the Corona virus.

There are currently antiviral drugs against Covid that are approved in some countries, but they are not yet available in Brazil.

Given this scenario, the recommendation for anyone who has tested positive in recent days and has mild symptoms is to rest and drink plenty of water.

Intense hydration helps dilute cytokines [moléculas inflamatórias] and eliminated by the kidneys,” Orbez Brito teaches.

If you have a fever, body aches, or headaches, you can use over-the-counter medications to relieve these discomforts, as long as you don’t have any contraindications.

“The most common is paracetamol or dipyrone,” the infection specialist explains.

But it is necessary to see a doctor if these symptoms persist or worsen.

Immunizing agents are indicated for those who have already been infected with the Coronavirus, as they are a safe and effective way to stimulate the immune system and increase the level of antibodies.

But the vaccine should not be applied to individuals who have recently tested positive: Ministry of Health guidelines are to count 30 days from the date of onset of symptoms (or positive test result) to receive the dose at that time.

He explains, “If I have coronavirus, my immune system is working to get rid of that infection. As a result, it won’t be effective in producing antibodies after vaccination. That’s why it’s important to respect this month period.” Heinrichen.

Let’s be clear: Waiting this time is just extra care to maximize the immune system’s response and ensure maximum protection against future new Covid frames.

This recommendation is valid for any stage of the vaccination schedule: if it is time for the first, second or third dose and you have the virus, wait for the recommended 30 days before going to the health center.

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