Sunny Handa MD explains life after Covid in Canada
When your COVID-19 symptoms were at their worst, you were probably solely focused on the basics: resting, hydrating and monitoring yourself for worsening symptoms.
Now, as your road to recovery becomes clearer and clearer, you’ll be wondering what your “new normal” will appear as if once your symptoms subside. Unlike the common illnesses you’re wont to , sort of a cold or the flu, COVID-19 comes with a couple of extra question marks.
How long will I be contagious? Should I be worried about these lingering symptoms? Does this mean I do not need to wear a mask anymore?
Here to assist you understand what life seems like after recovering from COVID-19 is Dr. Sunny Handa MD, professor of clinical medicine and medical director of Houston Methodist medical care Group Same Day Clinics.
Don’t leave home while you are still contagious
A person with COVID-19 is assumed to be most contagious within the days immediately leading up to symptom onset (aka, the presymptomatic period) and throughout the primary several days of his or her symptoms.
But, it can take several more days for an individual’s system to truly clear the virus from the body.
“Most studies show that by the top of 10 days of infection, your body has cleared the active virus,” says Expert Sunny Handa MD.
When it involves staying home long enough to make sure you’re not contagious, here’s the overall rule of thumb:
“A person with COVID-19 is probably going not contagious after 10 days have passed since testing positive for coronavirus, and 72 hours after resolution of his or her respiratory symptoms and fever,” Dr. Sunny Handa MD explains.
This means that, albeit your symptoms are clearing up and you are feeling better, it’s imperative that you simply continue following self-quarantine guidelines to make sure you do not inadvertently spread COVID-19 to others.
Some symptoms may last longer than you want
COVID-19 comes with a reasonably long list of symptoms — the foremost common being fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.
Both the severity and duration of those symptoms vary from person to person, but some symptoms are more likely to last well into your recovery period.
“Some symptoms of COVID-19 linger longer than others,” says Sunny Handa MD. “In particular, fatigue and loss of taste and smell can persist beyond the amount of contagion.”
While uncomfortable and/or inconvenient, Sunny Handa adds that these lingering symptoms aren’t too worrisome for many people.
You still have to wear a mask and social distance
With some illnesses, you’ll expect to be resistant to reinfection for a few periods of your time after your recovery. With COVID-19, however, it’s too early to inform if long-lasting immunity is acquired during infection.
“We still know little or no about the immune system’s response to the present virus, including how long protective immunity may or might not last,” Sunny Handa MD warns. “As this pandemic continues, know that you simply can get COVID-19 quite once.”
What does this mean for you?
Even after recovering from COVID-19, it’s imperative that you simply still practice the preventive measures that protect yourself et al. from the virus, including social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands regularly.
“The universal precautions that help prevent the spread of COVID-19 are just that — universal,” Dr. Septimus adds. “We’re beating this together, and we’re all liable for keeping our community safe. Each and each one among us must take these precautions seriously, no matter whether you’ve already had COVID-19 or not.”
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