Don’t Stay Locked Down
“If you’re thinking, ‘OK, I kinda wanna start to get back out there in the world a little bit.’ I don’t see a problem with that,” advised Baker. “The bottom line is, we’re not in lockdown anymore. If you wanna go out, go out. Just be safe about it.” That includes staying informed about the COVID infection rate in your local area, and adjusting your plans based on your personal level or risk tolerance and current medical guidance. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
Does Having Allergies Put Me A Greater Risk For Contracting Covid
“Having allergies does not put you at greater risk for contracting COVID-19,” says Dr. Barnes. “It’s your behaviors that put you at greater risk.”
To reduce your risk, continue using safe practices when you are away from your home if you are not vaccinated against COVID-19. These include wearing a face mask, social distancing, limiting large social gatherings and the use of hand sanitizers and frequent hand washing.
Can A Fully Vaccinated Patient Who Develops A Breakthrough Infection Give The Virus To Someone Else
At a briefing, the head of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said some vaccinated people infected with the delta variant, the dominant variant in the United States, “may be contagious and spread the virus to others.”
She called this new science worrisome, and said the CDC felt it important for people to understand they have the potential to transmit the virus to others even after they’ve been vaccinated. She said this is especially significant should a person with a breakthrough infection be planning to visit someone with a compromised immune system.
Vaccinated people who get breakthrough infections from the delta variant have similar amounts of virus in their system as those who were unvaccinated when they got sick, Walensky said. The CDC is continuing to study the issue “to understand the impact of forward transmission of those vaccinated people.”
“But unlike the alpha variant that we had back in May, where we didn’t believe that if you were vaccinated you could transmit further, this is different now with the delta variant and we’re seeing now that it’s actually possible that if you’re a rare breakthrough infection that you can transmit further,” she said.
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Your Headache Is Resistant To Painkillers
Sometimes even a COVID headache will respond to painkillers like aspirin and acetaminophen. However, the research team noted a link between headaches that resist the effects of analgesic medication and a COVID diagnosis. If your headache persists despite over the counter treatment, it could be an early sign of coronavirus. And for more regular COVID news delivered right to your inbox, .
Despite Symptoms Its Not The Flu
COVID-19 is not the flu.
As one of a class of pathogens known as coronaviruses, its actually more closely related to the common cold than the seasonal flu.
However, despite some overlap, the typical symptoms of COVID-19 are more similar to the flu than the common cold .
The new delta variant of COVID-19, however, may have more cold-like symptoms.
In terms of differentiating between flu and COVID-19, it can be almost impossible to distinguish, Dr. Jake Deutsch, co-founder and clinical director of Cure Urgent Care centers and Specialty Infusion in New York. Thats why people are recommended to have flu vaccinations so it can at least minimize the risk of flu in light of everything else.
Fevers, body aches, coughing, sneezing could all be equally attributed to them both, so it really means that if theres a concern for flu, theres a concern for COVID-19, Deutsch said.
If you have a mild case of COVID-19, the flu, or a cold, treatment is geared toward management of symptoms, said Cutler.
Generally, acetaminophen is recommended for fevers, he said. Cough drops and cough syrups can also help keep mucus secretions thinner. If there is associated nasal congestion, antihistamines may be useful.
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This Is How To Tell If Your Sore Throat Is Covid Doctors Say
Waking up during a pandemic isn’t always easy. Some of the most common experiencessuch as a minor, dry throat in the morningcan make you scared that you contracted the virus. As it turns out, there are quite a number of things that can cause a sore throat, which is both fortunate in that it may not be COVID, but also unfortunate as it can be hard to be sure you’re coronavirus-free. According to experts, however, there are a few ways to tell if your sore throat is COVID or something else entirely. Keep reading to find out the signs your sore throat is not COVID, and for more symptoms to look out for, This Is How to Tell If Your Cough Is COVID, Doctors Say.
Read the original article on Best Life.
Is It Just Allergies Or Covid
Allergy season is typically a miserable time of year for allergy sufferers, but this year, everything is a bit more complicated. Thats because of COVID-19, the respiratory virus that has many of the same symptoms as allergies. Now, every tickle in the throat or stuffy nose is a cause for concern: Is it just allergies or is it COVID-19? Thankfully, there are a few ways allergies differentiate from COVID-19:
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So Who Should Get Tested For Covid
Here’s what Dhar recommends:
- People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
- Most people who have had close contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
- Unvaccinated people who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot physically distance to avoid exposure, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor settings.
- People who have been asked or referred to get tested by their health care provider, or health department.
The CDC recently recommended that fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 be tested three to five days after exposure, and to wear a mask in public, indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
Dhar, who responded to questions from the Free Press in an email, noted that the CDC recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection.
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How Do Fall Allergy Symptoms Compare To The Symptoms Of Covid
Some COVID-19 and fall allergy symptoms overlap, such as cough and shortness of breath.
But a primary symptom of COVID-19 is a fever of 100.4 or higher. Fever is not a symptom of allergies.
Another main difference between COVID-19 and allergies is spread. COVID-19 can spread from person to person, while allergies are not contagious.
The chart on this page can help you decide if your symptoms are more like allergies or more like COVID-19. If you are unsure whether your symptoms are fall allergies or COVID-19, schedule an appointment with your doctor and ask about testing for COVID-19.
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Allergies Have Chronic Symptoms
COVID-19, like the flu or common cold, is an acute illness, meaning people feel fine until symptoms start showing up.
Allergies, on the other hand, are usually chronic, presenting with symptoms off and on for weeks, months, or even years, Dr. David M. Cutler, family medicine physician at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told Healthline.
Allergies should not cause a fever or body aches, Arthur said. Generally, no cough unless you have a lot of nasal drainage.
Allergies may also cause wheezing, she added, especially in people with asthma.
Allergy symptoms tend to vary with the environment: worsening with exposure to dust, pollen, or animal dander, whereas cold symptoms tend to persist regardless of time of day, weather, locality, or other environmental factors, Cutler said.
Also, as with COVID-19, Colds are more likely to have generalized symptoms like fever, headache, and body aches, whereas allergies usually affect only the respiratory tract, Cutler said. Allergy symptoms tend to improve with antihistamine and other allergy-specific medication. Colds are more likely to respond to decongestants, acetaminophen, fluids, and rest.
The CDC issued guidance on the differences in symptoms between COVID-19 and seasonal allergies.
The agency noted that things such as shortness of breath, coughing, fatigue, headache, and sore throat can be symptoms of either COVID-19 or allergies.
In A Mere 3 Days The Virus Took Hold With Fever And Difficulty Breathing As Someone With Asthma The Specter Of Hospitalization Hung Over Each Hour
In retrospect, traveling to London in the midst of a global pandemic was probably unwise. I left for a long-planned trip on March 7, just as the spread of COVID-19 took off in Europe and the U.S.
At the time, the World Health Organization still hadnt recommended against traveling, despite some outbreaks in the United Kingdom. I was traveling with my boyfriend, Quinn, for a nice 10-day vacation. I have severe food allergies and asthma, so we took numerous precautions throughout the trip: wiping down airline seats with high-alcohol wipes, washing hands frequently, and hand sanitizer after transit rides.
We were both nervous and cautious. The trip turned out great. We enjoyed a lot of Nandos, the famous chicken chain, and made many memories.
Our vacation was cut short when President Donald Trump announced the closing of U.S. borders to European nationals. We arrived home in Colorado on March 16, following a mad dash for airline seats. At the very end of the trip, Quinn began to present some mild symptoms of getting sick: an inconsistent fever and some fatigue. Once home, I began to self-isolate for the recommended 14 days, even though I had zero symptoms. It turned out to be the responsible thing to do.
Symptoms Start
Fear of Disease Progression
My advice: Take this disease seriously. Please stay home and stay healthy!
Morgan Smith is a food allergy advocate and entrepreneur based in Colorado. See more of his writing at Allergicchild.com.
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Seasonal Allergies Are Chronic
Seasonal allergies are a chronic disease, meaning they occur annually during pollen and mold seasons. The seasonal allergies typically being in the spring and run through the fall. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe depending on the pollen and outdoor mold counts at certain time so the spring, summer, and fall.
Although seasonal allergies are most common during the spring through fall, you can certainly be allergic to things indoors, like dust or mold. If thats the case, then these allergies can occur throughout the year. If you notice that you experience symptoms at the same time every year, you likely have an allergy.
Keep Your Asthma In Check
While difficulty breathing and shortness of breath have been symptoms associated with coronavirus, it can also be signs of asthma that can flare up with the allergy season. If you dont have a fever present with these symptoms, asthma could be the culprit.
People with asthma need to stay on top of their treatment, says Dr. Benninger, especially since people with respiratory issues are at a higher risk of potentially severe illness from coronavirus. Whether its inhalers or nasal sprays, its important to be up to date on their medication and proper usage.
Dr. Benninger also recommends starting allergy medications early in the allergy season rather than waiting for the worst part.
If you can prevent the symptoms from worsening, then youre much more likely to have less difficulty when you get to the time of the season when allergies tend to get out of control, he says.
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Allergy Treatment Offered Seven Days Per Week
If you are concerned about your allergy symptoms and would like to speak with a medical provider about your treatment options, you can visit PhysicianOne Urgent Care seven days per week, or schedule a virtual visit to be seen right away! Appointments are never required, and you can skip the wait in the waiting room by utilizing our online check-in system or a virtual visit. Youll be seen promptly by an experienced practitioner who will evaluate your symptoms and learn about your medical history in order to develop a comprehensive treatment plan aimed at helping you feel better.
How Do I Know If It’s Just Allergies
“Take your temperature. That’s probably a good first step, since coronavirus almost always includes a fever. If your temperature is normal, it is likely allergies,” says allergist an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
She adds, “Also, think about whether this happens to you every year. Come March and April, do you usually have itchy eyes and a runny nose?” If so, this may just be seasonal allergies acting up.
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What Are The Best Ways To Prevent Getting Colds The Flu And Covid
Fortunately, most of the same precautionary methods can help you prevent all of these conditions, according to the CDC. This includes washing your hands and/or using hand sanitizer frequently, avoiding people who are already sick, avoiding touching your face, and regularly cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
While wearing a mask has been touted more as a COVID-19 preventive method, it certainly cant hurt to keep other germs away, either. As for flu prevention, getting your flu shot every year will definitely lower your chances of becoming infected as well.
Diagnosis For Bronchitis And Covid
Only a licensed healthcare professional can diagnose whether you have COVID-19 or bronchitis.
To diagnose acute bronchitis, your doctor will listen to your symptoms and conduct a physical exam.
There are no specific tests for bronchitis, but your doctor may do blood tests to eliminate other possible causes of your symptoms. Your doctor may also order a chest x-ray if you have a fever. This is to rule out pneumonia.
COVID-19 is diagnosed with a viral test.
The COVID-19 test is completed with a swab that is placed deep inside your nose or throat. The swab is then tested to see if the virus that causes COVID-19 is present.
A viral test can’t tell you if you were previously infected. Even if you test negative, you can still get infected after the test.
If you start to feel sick after you are tested, you may need to be tested again.
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Just How Rare Is A Breakthrough Covid
Internal CDC slides obtained by the Washington Post suggest breakthrough infections with the delta variant are not that rare. About 35,000 fully vaccinated people are contracting symptomatic coronavirus infections in the U.S. each week, the slides show.
Still, they suggest the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine works against severe illness and death from the delta variant. It’s 80% to 90% effective against symptomatic infection and 90% to 95% effective against severe disease in data from other countries, said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, in a series of tweets about the CDC documents. Because the Moderna vaccine uses a similar mRNA technology, scientists say it can be assumed it performs similarly against the delta variant.
Vaccinated people are three times less likely to contract the delta variant and 10 times less likely to die from it than those who are unvaccinated, the leaked documents show, but vaccinated people are just as contagious as unvaccinated people.
The CDC documents suggest the delta variant is more transmissible than Ebola, smallpox, and polio, and spreads as easily as chicken pox. They urge public health officials to “acknowledge the war has changed,” and insist that “given higher transmissibility and current vaccine coverage, universal masking is essential to reduce transmission.”
If you’ve been vaccinated and suspect you’re sick, doctors agree that you should be tested for the coronavirus.
Doctor Explains How To Tell Allergies And Covid
A runny nose and a scratchy throat may be signs of something serious, or it could just be allergies. But how do you tell the difference in the middle of a pandemic?
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A runny nose and a scratchy throat may be signs of something serious, or it could just be allergies. But how do you tell the difference in the middle of a pandemic? WKYTs Victor Puente talked to an ER doctor about when you should be concerned and when you should just take some more decongestant.
I think it will be very difficult because people with allergies, some will get COVID, and some people with COVID have allergies, Dr. Ryan Stanton said. So its gonna be a little bit more challenging to differentiate as we move forward.
Dr Ryan Stanton said most people who suffer from seasonal allergies should be able to tell if its the same issue theyve faced every year, or something worse.
It will feel different– the challenge is that first day or two because COVID does kind of sneak up on you. It may feel similar, Dr. Stanton said. But I think most people who have allergies can really tell the difference between what they have or what theyve had every single year this time of year or something thats different.
He says the majority of COVID-19 cases that show symptoms include a fever.
Still, if you are having trouble breathing, its worth calling your doctor.
He said if it makes you feel better you can pre-treat your allergies, to try to help on days of high pollen counts.
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When Allergies And Illness Co
Remember that children with seasonal allergies can still get sick. With chronic nasal congestion, people dont clear germs as well from the nose. Therefore, they can get more viruses and those viruses can linger longer, Dr. Siegel. This means that if your child has allergies and then gets new symptoms that dont respond to allergy medications, its important to check with your pediatrician.
Anyone who has any illness symptoms must make sure to quarantine at home to avoid spreading the germs.
