The number of cases of illness with COVID-19 is increasing alarmingly during this period, draw the attention of infectious disease doctors. However, they stated that, in general, the symptoms of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus are similar to those of a common flu. Even so, there are differences.
Summer COVID comes with mild to moderate symptoms. Photo source: archive
The main symptoms of summer covid
The reaction of the body following exposure to the virus and the manifested symptoms are variable from case to case. But generally speaking, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough, and fatigue.
Compared to years past, when loss of taste and smell were among the most common symptoms, now it is not so common. In addition to this symptom, others that may occur are stuffy nose, headache and neck pain, muscle pain, skin rashes, nausea, chills, dizziness.
Summer COVID, severe symptoms
Severe symptoms that require emergency hospitalization include:
- Breathing difficulties;
- Loss of appetite;
- Confusion;
- Persistent pain or pressure felt in the chest area;
- High temperature, over 38 degrees Celsius.
Summer COVID, rare symptoms
There are also patients who show rare symptoms, which is why, often, they don’t even think about the fact that they are infected with SARS-CoV-2. Among them:
- Irritability;
- Confusion;
- Affecting the state of consciousness, sometimes associated with the occurrence of convulsions;
- Anxiety and depression;
- Sleep disorders;
- Neurological complications – strokes, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), delirium and nerve damage.
Those who show such symptoms should first consider the possibility of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and not with the common flu virus. The reason? We are not in the flu season, instead, the summer COVID is sending more and more Romanians to the hospital. 15-20 sick people show up at the emergency room every day, and some of them remain hospitalized. This is, in particular, about people who also suffer from other chronic conditions, with comorbidities and a deficient immune system.
What do you do if you got sick?
If you have symptoms of the disease, the first step is to buy a COVID test from the pharmacy. After testing at home, you will know for sure if you are infected or not. If you find out that you have COVID, there are two options: either you treat yourself at home with anti-thermic drugs and pain relievers, if the symptoms are mild and the disease can be taken “on foot”, or you go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital, if the situation complicates, the symptoms become more and more severe or you also suffer from other chronic or serious conditions.
At the hospital’s emergency room, you will be tested again, and the doctors will determine a treatment. If the situation becomes serious, they will decide on hospitalization.
Most people who get sick with COVID-19 will experience a mild form of the disease and can be treated at home, infectious disease experts say. Symptoms may last a few days, and people with the virus may feel better in about a week, but sometimes symptoms may persist for several weeks.
Patients must remain isolated until they are no longer contagious. Asymptomatic people should self-isolate for 14 days after testing positive, and symptomatic patients should self-isolate for 14 days after the onset of symptoms.
