COVID symptoms requiring medical attention

When you have a COVID-19 infection, you are told to isolate yourself and stay away from others until you are better. But while many people improve at home with a combination of medication, rest, hydration and time, others require additional medical intervention.

Although we know the characteristic symptoms of COVID – like coughing, fatigue, for example – there are some symptoms of COVID-19 that are not normal and should not be treated as such.

“What’s really important is making sure that people are alert to certain telltale signs and symptoms that may warrant hospital care or (care by) a health care provider, so that they are not not face serious illness, or even hospitalization or death,” said Dr. Syra Madad, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Below, experts explain which COVID-related issues should be instant red flags, along with some tips on what to do next:

According to Dr Natasha Bhuyan, national medical director of One Medical, warning symptoms include shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.

“What we always say is if someone is actually having trouble breathing, and therefore gasping for air, that would be a trip to the emergency room,” Bhuyan said.

When you have COVID, there is a phase in which the virus replicates rapidly, followed by an inflammatory response phase in which your body fights the virus, explained disease specialist Dr. Mahdee Sobhanie Infectious Diseases at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “And… sometimes this inflammation can affect other places, and the one we always worry about is the lungs.” If you have COVID and notice you have trouble catching your breath when you walk, sit or talk, that’s a reason to go to the emergency room, he noted.

Sobhanie also noted that chest pain is another red flag symptom that should trigger a trip to the emergency room. The same goes for blue-colored lips, Madad said.

If you have a pulse oximeter at home (or a smartwatch that tells you your oxygen saturation) and you notice your oxygen levels are low, you should see a doctor, according to Sobhanie.

Problems such as dizziness, confusion, or dizziness also require immediate medical attention. “Some of the really concerning symptoms…maybe someone in your household has COVID, and now they’re confused or not making any sense or disoriented, I think those are reasons to go to the emergency room “, Bhuyan said.

Finally, watch out for high fevers above 103 degrees Fahrenheit. A high fever can sometimes warrant a trip to the emergency room, but can often be managed by your primary care provider, Bhuyan added. When in doubt, it is always best to seek help immediately as a precaution.

“I also think you need to be very aware of what other underlying conditions you have. The patient population that always concerns me is immunocompromised patients…and those patients, if they ever have COVID, need to talk to their doctor immediately, because their doctors like to be very proactive from the beginning in this which concerns COVID. » said Sobhanie.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people at high risk include people over 50, people with underlying health conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease, and those who are immunocompromised, as Sobhanie mentioned above.

“If your symptoms are getting worse, like a sore throat or cough getting worse, or a fever or headache getting worse, I think that’s definitely another red flag that you should should seek health care services,” Madad said.

In this case, you should tell your doctor what symptoms you’re experiencing and that they’re getting progressively worse, she said.

“What we typically expect, the first day or two, people may feel a little scratch in their throat, they may feel like they’re getting sick, (and) usually by the third or fourth day, the symptoms are more severe and they are at their peak,” Bhuyan said. “From there, people tend to get better.”

It may take seven days for you to feel better, or it may take 10 to 14 days, and that’s normal, she said. “But … if someone’s condition really starts to get worse on day six or seven, it’s really critical that they contact (a) primary care provider.” This could be a sign that the COVID infection is progressing into something like bacterial pneumonia in their lungs, Bhuyan added.

Overall, it’s never a bad idea to tell your doctor about your COVID infection.

“I think when you have the first symptoms of COVID – which could be fever, fatigue, runny nose – the best plan is to call your doctor immediately and try taking Paxlovid (which is a antiviral medication),” Sobhanie said. To be eligible for Paxlovid, you must have a high risk of developing serious illness, which is calculated based on your age and underlying health conditions. Talk to your doctor to see if you qualify for the medication.

Additionally, it’s always good to keep your doctor informed about a COVID-19 infection so they can put you on the road to recovery and monitor your progress.

“The COVID vaccine is effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths…That being said, someone can get the COVID vaccine, or they can have a prior COVID infection, and they can still get the COVID,” Bhuyan said. The purpose of this injection is to reduce the severity of the disease, not to prevent it completely.

Sobhanie said it’s not too late in the season to get the COVID vaccine. But you should talk to your doctor about the best time for your injection: If you recently had a COVID infection, you should wait a while before getting your injection. (The CDC says you should wait three months after infection to get vaccinated.)

Beyond vaccination, Madad recommended returning to the “Swiss cheese model of defense against COVID”.

“This is something we are all accustomed to during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swiss cheese model is made up of several layers of infection prevention that you layer on top of each other. As we know, no layer protects 100%,” Madad said.

This includes wearing a mask in crowded spaces, wearing a mask in poorly ventilated spaces, maintaining your distance from others in crowded places, and keeping your vaccinations up to date.

Currently, looking at data on viral activity across the country, Madad noted that there are high levels of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV) everywhere.

“It is not too late to get vaccinated. You’re going to continue to see (high) levels of this respiratory viral activity,” Madad said.

And the measures mentioned above also apply to protect against all respiratory viruses circulating this winter.