How do I know when BA.5 has attacked the lungs? Warning signs. It must not be ignored

The Omikron BA.5 sub-variant dominates the summer wave of covid infections. The new SARS-CoV-2 mutation is the most contagious of all “versions” of the pathogen to date. Although its effect on the lungs is less than with the previous variants, it does not mean that the threat has passed. How do you know that BA.5 has attacked the lungs and what might be the consequences?

1. COVID-19 spreads by airborne droplets, so one of the first places it infects is the respiratory tract
2. After entering the lungs, the virus infects cells in the lungs and blood vessel cells. It damages them and causes inflammation that can be unnoticeable, mild or severe
3. Coughing is the first symptom of a lung infection, but shortness of breath is the most dangerous
4. Pleurisy and hypoxia are other effects of developing an infection in the lungs
5. Any type of chest pain or discomfort should be assessed by a doctor immediately
6. More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.

How does COVID-19 affect the lungs?

Dr. Tom Yadegar, pulmonologist and medical director of the intensive care unit at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, emphasizes that COVID-19 is spread by airborne droplets, so one of the first places it infects is the respiratory tract.

“Depending on the patient’s risk profile, which is influenced by genetic predisposition, age, smoking and previous lung diseases, COVID-19 infection can range from simple bronchitis to pneumonia to full-blown respiratory failure.”

As Dr. William Li, a physician, scientist and author of books, adds, «COVID-19 starts in the respiratory tract, including the lungs, because the virus has to enter our body and it usually enters through airborne droplets. After penetrating the lungs, it infects both lung cells and blood vessel cells. It damages them and causes inflammation, which can range from imperceptible to mild to severe ”.

Pneumonia causes coughing and shortness of breath, however the current versions of COVID-19 are very different from the original 2020 disease. If we are vaccinated, with booster doses, it is unlikely that the infection will require us to stay in the hospital. But the virus sometimes causes “silent” damage to both the respiratory tract and blood vessels. It is observed in about 30 percent. people who suffer from the so-called long covid.

Who is at risk of lung problems from COVID-19 infection?

COVID-19 remains an unpredictable disease – some patients develop long covid with severe breathlessness. Who is most at risk of COVID-19 infection with lung involvement?

Pulmonary symptoms are unpredictable, but the elderly, people with emphysema, smokers, asthmatics and those with comorbidities have worse experiences with the lungs during infection.

Coughing usually indicates irritation in the lungs and can be a symptom of many diseases. However, when mucus or sputum occurs, it may be a signal that the bronchial tubes and even lung tissue are infected.

Antiviral therapy may be helpful for high-risk patients presenting within the first five days of symptom onset. Antibiotics should be administered on a case-by-case basis.

A cough is your body’s natural reaction to irritation or infection in your lungs. Although it is not a symptom specific to COVID-19, if we have had contact with an infected person and we start coughing a few days later, it is advisable to test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. To ease symptoms, we can use medications to suppress coughing.

It is different with shortness of breath. In the case of COVID-19, shortness of breath is a sign that the body is working above baseline due to the increased need to fight the virus. In some patients, shortness of breath is associated with low oxygen saturation, which means that the lungs cannot keep up with the body’s oxygen requirements.

Pleurisy and hypoxia. These symptoms cannot be taken lightly

Persistent pain on inhalation, also known as pleurisy, can be a sign of COVID-19 infection in the lungs. This type of pleurisy, the space between the lung tissue and the chest, can be exacerbated in patients with a serious infection.

Any type of chest pain or discomfort should be promptly assessed by a physician to select the appropriate treatment method.

Hypoxia, or low oxygen saturation levels in COVID-19 patients, is a warning sign that the infection can be life-threatening. In such a situation, patients must immediately contact a doctor to obtain urgent medical attention.

Why is COVID-19 re-infection dangerous? Risk of reinfection

Reinfections, or re-infection with COVID-19, are becoming more common as the virus continues to mutate and spread more easily.

Research is ongoing into the exact mechanisms of repeated repeated infections with the coronavirus, but reports are increasingly being reported on the consequences of subsequent infections for patients.

Scientists are studying the risks associated with an increased likelihood of long covid damage, damage to lung tissue, effects on the heart, and the risk of hospitalization and death.

What do you need to know about the BA.5 mutation?

Until now, each variant of the coronavirus has had its own unique profile. BA.5 is the most contagious strain by far and the disease it causes has a slightly different course to previous COVID-19 infections.

The specificity of this Omicron sub-variant may make it less sensitive to current vaccine formulations. More research is needed to better understand the evolving mutations and to reduce infection rates. For now, individual risk reduction is needed to avoid infection and the sequelae of BA.5.