COVID-19 in the unvaccinated. GPs advise what to do and how to treat yourself

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The Omikron variant, which is responsible for most cases of COVID-19 today, typically causes cold-like symptoms. Therefore, a positive test result in patients who reported to their family doctor with a runny nose is quite surprising. Medics admit that latest wave infections are milder. Do unvaccinated people go through Omikron more severely? We asked GPs about how they should proceed.

1. The observations of family doctors show that symptoms of Omikron infection in vaccinated and unvaccinated people are similar. Most people get an infection lightly
2. Strong muscle pains, breakdown, sinus symptoms are characteristic
3. Experts explain how coronavirus infection is treated in unvaccinated people
4. Anyone who has not yet received the vaccine is advised to do so. And patients are recommended to vaccinate with a booster after two doses. All because immunity decreases over time, and it is not known how the epidemic will develop further
5. Check your health. Just answer these questions
6. You can find more about the coronavirus on the TvoiLokony home page

Regardless of whether we think the pandemic is over or not, if we start catching a cold, we should see a doctor. He will refer us to a test, the result of which will determine the further course of treatment. The queues for the swab points are not as long as they were three weeks ago, but we still have to wait 24 hours for the result.

Symptoms of COVID-19 in unvaccinated and vaccinated people are similar

– At the moment, the symptoms of COVID-19 resemble a standard cold – says Dr. Paweł Lewek, family doctor from the Le-Med clinic in Łódź. – The first symptoms are general breakdown, fatigue, muscle aches, chills, low-grade fever. Some patients have a fever, even quite high, around 39-40 degrees C. The infection is also associated with a sore throat and hoarseness, but I do not observe strong breathlessness anymore.

1. See also: Omikron in the vaccinated. Eight symptoms and two warning signs

Medics, when asked about COVID-19 symptoms reported in recent weeks, mention the sinus ones in the first place. They are accompanied by coughing caused by secretions flowing down the back of the throat. Some patients report hearing deterioration, dyspnoea is extremely rare, while a small percentage of patients experience loss of smell and / or taste, which are standard at the beginning of a pandemic, a few days after the onset of infection.

– The primary care physician does not have current information about the type of the virus – adds Dr. Katarzyna Śleziak-Barglik, head of the primary health care clinic in Ruda Śląska. – It is suggested by symptoms. If they resemble a cold, I can expect Omikron to be responsible. Conversely, if the patient reports diarrhea and vomiting, it would indicate Delta.

Doctors unanimously emphasize that similar symptoms affect both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

– The muscles hurt, most often the shoulder girdle – adds Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – These are typical muscle aches and pains that also occur in other viral diseases. Previously, they complained mainly of pain in the lower back, below the shoulder blades, and now they are complaining of pain in the muscles at the top.

1. Read: Pain in these two places could be an Omicron infection

Unfortunately, the Omikron variant, like its predecessors, causes unstable or even exacerbation of chronic diseases, e.g. diabetes or thyroid diseases, most often occurring after the infection has receded. That is why people with these ailments must not take any colds lightly.

Nevertheless, doctors believe that those who caught COVID-19 only now are lucky, because Omikron causes mild infections in most cases, even in unvaccinated patients. and you must be extremely unlucky to go through it hard. The infection is also shorter. Usually five days, on the seventh day most patients are well.

Further part below the video.

One-size-fits-all COVID-19 treatment

Ministerial guidelines say that when a patient is over 65 and has co-morbidities such as cancer, ischemic heart disease, diabetes, post-infarction, stroke, etc., they can be treated with molnupilavir.

– The drug is taken twice a day for 800 mg, for five days – says Dr. Śleziak-Barglik.

The principle is that a doctor should examine people with COVID-19 over the age of 60 within 48 hours.

– For some, a home visit to a 70-year-old because of a runny nose is problematic – notes Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – So far, I have visited all patients, not only covid ones, who needed it. At my clinic, we examine everyone. Most often, however, after a telephone conversation with a doctor, a patient who does not require an examination, gives up on it himself. Of course, if he wants to, he will be examined. He will be given an appointment at a specific time and admitted to solitary confinement.

Patients under 65 are treated in the same way as before. They are given antipyretic drugs (e.g. ibuprofen, paracetamol) and anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen). To this, expectorants and antitussive drugs administered at night may be added, so that the patient can get enough sleep and regenerate the body. The most commonly prescribed sinus treatment is a group of drugs that liquefy sinus secretions, and if covid becomes ill with someone who has long-term sinus problems, chronic sinusitis treatment reduces the amount of sinus secretions. It also doesn’t hurt to rinse the sinuses.

– We do not take aspirin, this is important – emphasizes Dr. Śleziak-Barglik.

1. See also: What To Swallow When You Have COVID-19? Advice from your family doctor

– Vitamin D, zinc and vitamin C will not hurt either – says Dr. Paweł Lewek. – However, if a patient develops a long-lasting dry and tiring cough, I will prescribe inhalation steroids (budesonide), which will help both children and adults. Above 12 years of age, codeine with sulfogayacol, an old but well-functioning drug that soothes dry cough, will work.

Dr. Lewek claims that with a mild course of the infection, the patient is able to heal himself even with home remedies.

If a bacterial infection is superimposed on COVID-19, an antibiotic is introduced, although in most cases it is not necessary.

After infection, however, it is worth getting vaccinated

GPs say they sometimes find it difficult to remember ministerial guidelines, mainly because they change quickly, but are also not entirely logical.

If the smear result is positive, the patient is subject to 7-day isolation. Of course, his family members should automatically test themselves. Meanwhile, quarantine has been lifted for the vaccinated people living with the sick person if they test negative. But in their case, the transmission of the virus does occur.

In any case, two days before the end of the isolation, the doctor contacts the patient and, if he or she has no symptoms, may terminate the isolation on time.

– I would suggest treating the infection, a positive PCR test result, as the first vaccination against COVID-19 – says Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – If someone has fallen ill, it means that he was also affected by a pandemic, so it is worth getting vaccinated. And it is not yet known what the next mutations of the virus will be. We don’t know what awaits us.

If someone is not a declared anti-vaccine, and so far has not gone to the vaccination point because he or she was on his way or did not find time, contact with the virus should be treated as a warning. It is true that it has gained resistance, but it will not last long.

– In about three months, at the latest, it would be appropriate to get vaccinated – says Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – We used to say that after six cases of infection, then five, and even after a severe course of COVID-19. Now, most of us recommend vaccination after three months, because then the antibody level will definitely drop.

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Doctors appeal: vaccination is a public benefit and vaccines are free, let’s take advantage of it.

– No one has grown an additional head yet – jokes Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – Every drug has side effects, only with COVID-19 vaccines are they more publicized. Because the topic is hot. How many times have we heard after the flu season, about the number of deaths from flu alone or from complications from the flu? Or how many people have had complications after being vaccinated for the flu? It was not talked about because it is irrelevant in the overall profit and loss account.

– You should wait about a month after the symptoms of the infection stop and you can get vaccinated – advises Dr. Lewek. – A lot of people who have been ill recently have had two doses of the vaccine. So you can see that the third dose is required. So many of the patients after two doses were now positive because usually after five to six months the level of antibodies is not sufficient to prevent reinfection. That is why it is worth getting vaccinated to maintain the optimal level of antibodies, and mRNA vaccines seem to be the best option.

– I myself have patients who have not been vaccinated so far, and now, after a mild infection, have decided to take the vaccine – says Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – Most of them were people who complained of severe muscle pain. They claimed that they felt like a wheel broken and that they did not want to experience anything like it a second time.

There are people who, after undergoing a mild form of COVID-19, want to make an appointment for vaccination, because it was only during the course of the disease that they realized how much it limits them and how much of a threat they become to the rest of the family.

– After years of practice, I come to the conclusion that the doctor can talk to himself, and if the patient does not hurt or experience an infection, he will not react – says Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – Only the cow does not change views and may there be as many people who have changed their minds about vaccines. I have also had many patients who contracted COVID-19 during the first, second or third wave of the pandemic and have now contracted the Omikron variant because they are unvaccinated for various reasons. This is the best proof that getting sick does not protect against another infection. Besides, people forget that immunity is built up every day. Only after the disease did they begin to be afraid and ask to prescribe something for immunity. They want drugs to improve their performance and well-being. And yet, decline in efficiency, fatigue or covid fog have accompanied the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. They have not disappeared now that the disease is less severe.

– Of course, Omikron dominates now, but I am convinced that more dangerous variants may appear in the autumn – believes Dr. Lewek. “The question is whether we can already talk about the end of the pandemic … I would be careful.” At least two more quiet seasons are needed. In fact, during the last wave, I did not have a patient who, due to severe breathlessness, I would have to refer to the hospital. And before that, there were really a lot of people who were even choking. It is said that more children are ill nowadays, but I did not take in those who developed severe complications. Most go through COVID-19 like a cold. Luckily, none of my youngest patients went to the hospital because of him.

At the same time, we encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we were talking about breathing. Breathe with your mouth or nose? How To Get Rid Of Bad Breathing Habits? What is breath re-reduction and how does it affect our mental and physical health? You will hear about this and many other aspects of breathing below.

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