COVID-19 like a cold. Bartosz Fiałek: a sign that you need to see a doctor

Symptoms of infection with new Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 mutations often resemble the common cold. Fever, runny nose, malaise are just some of the symptoms. At first glance, they seem harmless. However, the threat has not gone away. When comes the moment to see a doctor? Bartosz Fiałek has no doubts. In an interview with Medonet, he also listed the alarming symptoms of COVID-19. If they do, seek help immediately.

1. Symptoms of infection with new Omikron sub-variants most often resemble a cold or an upper respiratory infection
2. The symptoms include: fever, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache, weakness, malaise
3. Cold symptoms experienced right now should turn on a warning lamp – emphasizes Bartosz Fiałek
4. The doctor also lists the “alarm symptoms” of COVID-19. One of the most important is shortness of breath
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

BA.4 and BA.5 – the most common symptoms

Previous studies show that the symptoms of infection with new Omikron sub-variants most often resemble a common cold or upper respiratory tract infections and last for about four days. Symptoms include elevated body temperature or fever, sore throat, stuffy nose, runny nose, cough, sneezing, headache, weakness, malaise, muscle aches and joint pain. British epidemiologist prof. Tim Spector also talked about loss of sense of smell and tinnitus.

Although the course of the disease appears to be milder, it does not absolutely mean that the threat is gone. – Among us there are still people particularly at risk of severe COVID-19 – reminds the drug. Bartosz Fiałek. These include the elderly, patients with multiple comorbidities, immunocompromised patients, and unvaccinated people, including those who have not taken a booster dose.

When is it necessary to see a doctor? Fiałek says straight

The symptoms of a cold are easy to ignore, but the doctor says directly: if we are experiencing them now, the warning lamp should light up. – Remember that cold disease most often occurs in the fall-winter and early spring. Of course, it can also happen in the summer, but it happens much less often – explains Bartosz Fiałek.

– Taking into account the fact that the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants are becoming dominant in the world now, the symptoms of a cold we experience right now should prompt us, for example, to perform a test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. If we obtain a positive result, it should be reported to the sanitary and epidemiological station and undergo isolation – she emphasizes.

The doctor also points out that in Western Europe the BA.5 subvariant spreads very quickly, and in the USA it begins to dominate. – I think that unfortunately we will not miss it. May we, as a society, show responsibility.

Alarming symptoms of COVID-19. Need quick help

The main “alarm symptom” of COVID-19 is dyspnoea. – It is also one of the most important symptoms accompanying SARS-CoV-2 infection. It suggests lung involvement and is an indicator of a more severe form of the disease, says the doctor. – In such a situation, you must not delay the visit to the doctor – he warns. – Don’t wait for the breathlessness to progress. If we have the impression that we have difficulty breathing in the course of COVID-19, be sure to see a doctor.

Among the symptoms of COVID-19 that require rapid medical intervention, Bartosz Fiałek also mentions, among others: hemoptysis, fever that does not go away despite the use of appropriate medications, chest pain (COVID-19 increases the risk of myocarditis) or features of an incident thromboembolism regardless of location.

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