Thursday, March 28, 2024

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS-Health THE MILD TO THE SEVERE

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Nakiah Thomas-Edwards

The threat of COVID-19, the disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, has become more real to us now that there is community spread and we may actually know someone who got tested for it, or someone who contracted it.

And we’ve been hearing quite a lot about the symptoms, but how much do we really know about how the virus affects the body? We know that the symptoms include body aches, chills, dry cough, fatigue, fever, headache, loss of appetite, loss of smell and sore throat, in various degrees of severity, coughing, shortness of breath and fever. We also know that if you catch it, the symptoms will start to present between five to 14 days; and you may be ill for up to two weeks after that. If you begin to feel that way, call the COVID hotline 536-4500.

We do not want to jeopardise the health of our loved ones, especially those in the high risk group like the elderly and those with diabetes.

Here’s a breakdown of how the symptoms manifest during that time.

Between the first to third day of infection, you experience body aches, especially around the eyes and head.

You may get a runny nose or nasal congestion, vomiting or diarrhoea, you may feel feverish, and may experience a burning when urinating. You will also have a sore throat. As soon as you start to feel these symptoms, be sure to drink lots of fluids, especially water, to keep your throat moist.

The virus moves into a second stage during the fourth to eighth day. You will experience getting tired quickly, loss of smell or taste (or both), tightness or pain in chest, and pain in the lower back area. It has been observed that some these symptoms are flu-like. According to mayoclinic.org, symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu appear at different times. “With COVID-19, you may experience loss of taste or smell. COVID-19 symptoms generally appear two to 14 days after exposure.

Flu symptoms usually appear suddenly, about one to four days after exposure. COVID-19 appears to be more contagious and to spread more quickly than the flu. Severe illness such as lung injury is more frequent with COVID-19 than with influenza.

The mortality rate also is higher with COVID-19 than the flu.”

It is also possible to have both at the same time, though the flu cannot turn into COVID-19 and COVID-19 cannot turn into the flu. The two illnesses are caused by different viruses.

Healthpartner.com also states that there are some COVID-19 symptoms which don’t typically overlap or are less common with the flu. These include: shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, repeated shaking with chills, new and sudden loss of taste or smell.

Recovery begins around the ninth day if you have a mild case of COVID-19. Of course, recovery time will vary according to a number of factors, including age and state of health. According to Webmd. com it can take up to six weeks for severe cases.

“Fatigue, headache, and trouble breathing were the symptoms most likely to linger.

Centres for Disease Control guidelines say that if you’ve been sick, you should isolate yourself at home until you haven’t had a fever for 24 hours without using a fever-reducing medicine; your symptoms are better, though they might not be totally gone; and it’s been at least ten days since your symptoms started.

“Scientists are still looking at how a person’s immune system responds to COVID-19 and whether you can catch the virus again after you recover. One early study on monkeys found that they didn’t get infected a second time. Other research says that some people might lose their antibodies over a couple of months,” webmd.com stated.

Even though the symptoms have subsided and you may feel better, you may still have the virus in your body for weeks. As such, you should keep following the safety protocols like washing your hands, keeping surfaces clean, wearing your mask in public places and not leaving home unless absolutely necessary.

Here are some things medical personnel advise you can boost your immune system and help fight infection:

•Sit in the sun for 15-20 minutes

•Rest and sleep for at least 7-8 hours.

•Drink one and a half liters of water daily

•Eat more alkaline foods like:

•Banana, Lemon – 9.9 pH

•Yellow lemon – 8.2 pH

•Avocado – pH 15.6

•Garlic – pH 13.2

•Mango – pH of 8.7

•Mandarin – pH of 8.5

•Pineapple – 12.7 pH

•Watercress – 22.7 pH

•Orange – 9.2 pH

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