I'm a Doctor and These BA.2 Symptoms Have Me Alarmed
Almost two years ago, the globe was hit by a pandemic, the COVID pandemic. Unfortunately, many lives were lost due to this virus. The virus also affected many other people, the most vulnerable being the elderly and those with an underlying medical condition, making them ill, and causing them to spend their money in order to get healthcare services. It's quite heartbreaking to see that most of us seem to have quickly forgotten about. The virus has not gotten weaker but instead, new strong variants have evolved. This makes COVID still important to know about. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.
Fever Accompanied by a Headache
COVID mainly causes problems with the respiratory system. Its symptoms, which range from mild to fatal, start to show 2 days to 14 days after the victim's first exposure to the virus. The mild symptoms will likely go away on their own, but fatal symptoms should be a cause for alarm. The first alarming symptom of COVID is fever. Our body's temperature will rise above the normal. The fever can be accompanied by a headache.
Shortness of Breathe or Difficulty in Breathing
This symptom occurs when our immune system and COVID interact in our lungs interfering with the normal circulation of air within the lungs and blood. A person experiencing this symptom will thirst for air but can not be able to inhale enough to fill up for this urge (makes you gasp for air). This can make you very frightened and uncomfortable. The feeling can be compared to asphyxiation.
Chest Pains
A person will experience chest pain when you inhale, exhale, cough or sneeze. It is advised to seek urgent medical attention if you experience this symptom. It can be a sign of a serious condition like a blood clot in the lungs which is caused by the virus. A severe infection of COVID can also cause inflammation of the heart muscles (myocarditis) which also results into chest pains.
Confusion
One of the functions of blood is transportation. When oxygen drops below normal levels in our blood, the brain will also be affected. When this happens i.e, when the brain is supplied with less oxygen than the usual amount, it results in confusion and other mental complications such as lethargy. Persons infected with COVID will likely experience this mental symptom. This is due to the inability of the lungs to supply enough oxygen to the blood, thus an inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain.
Diarrhea
Even though COVID mainly affects the respiratory system, one of the symptom it causes is Diarrhea. The virus can attack gut cells interfering with their normal functioning thus causing stomach upsets and diarrhea. Diarrhea dehydrates a person, and when it accompanies other symptoms, a person should seek immediate medical attention. At the start, diarrhea may be mild but it will persist as days goes by.
Muscle and Body Ache
It is among the first symptoms that begin to show as soon as a person is infected with COVID. They mostly appear because COVID makes one tired and inactive so muscles become numb and stiff. The aches can be mild or severe.
Loss of Smell or Taste
These symptoms will most likely appear together. To know that you are infected with COVID, among the symptoms that will show is your inability to taste or smell.
What to Do if You Feel Any of These Symptoms?
Visit your doctor in case you experience any of the mentioned symptoms. The more you delay seeking medical attention, the more the symptoms will become severe. The key lesson COVID taught us is that, if you get infected, your health can quickly deteriorate, in such a way that can even result in death. So it is our own responsibility to take action in either prevention of COVID or in seeking treatment.
The Last Word From the Doctor
Despite relaxed measures in many areas across the country and a decline in the rate of infection, COVID is still among us. We should therefore practice good hygiene and still take preventive measures. COVID vaccines are also available and have been found to be effective in the prevention of new infections. And to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
