The crown won't fall off: which strains of COVID-19 threaten us in the fall
The most insidious disease of the century, COVID-19, continues to keep Russians "at gunpoint." In autumn, two strains of this virus become active — Stratus (XFG) and Nimbus (NB.1.8.1). Their main danger is post—cystic syndrome: prolonged weakness, concentration problems, and cardiovascular complications. How to distinguish coronavirus from influenza or SARS, why you can't self—medicate and why covid is lurking - in the Izvestia article.
The future of Covid
Denis Prokofiev, a general practitioner with the status of "Moscow Doctor", recalls that COVID-19 is one of the viruses of the group of acute respiratory viral infections or viral diseases. It was known as early as 1960, but until recently it did not reach the same scale as it did at the very beginning of the pandemic. Today, the coronavirus is no longer so fierce, but it has not disappeared anywhere.
— There are completely new strains of the virus — flirt, omicron, nimbus, stratus and others. But these names don't really matter to patients. It is enough to understand that coronavirus is a very smart virus that is constantly mutating and looking for an approach to our immune system, explains Dr. Prokofiev.
It seems that the main danger has passed. For example, patients no longer suffer from severe pneumonia, which leads to a large number of deaths. But this fact is very alarming for scientists and doctors.
"In simple words, it is not beneficial for any virus to be fatal, because then all developments in antiviral and antibacterial therapy will be aimed at it," comments Denis Prokofiev. — It is beneficial for them to be in the population and only at a certain moment become more active and "attack". It seems to me that COVID-19 is hiding and just picking up the keys to the means we use against it, as well as to our immune status.
How to distinguish coronavirus from flu
According to the diagnosis, it is quite possible to distinguish coronavirus from other diseases, Prokofiev believes. First of all, this should be done with the help of a doctor. For example, there are specific changes that a competent specialist will detect in a lung scan when performing a CT scan.
"A preliminary diagnosis can also be made by blood tests,— Prokofiev continues. — As a rule, this is leukopenia — a change in the leukocyte formula (the number of leukocytes drops below normal values). There is also a 100% PCR diagnosis, when a positive reaction to covid is detected when taking material from the nasopharynx.
It is possible to suspect an insidious virus based on clinical signs. First of all, Prokofiev says, the coronavirus is characterized by the fact that patients still, even taking into account the mutation of the strains, have no odors. This is how the neurotoxic effect of coronavirus manifests itself.
— Secondly, there is no abundant mucous discharge from the nose, — continues Prokofiev. — As a rule, its maximum swelling or congestion occurs, as with allergic rhinitis. Also, with coronavirus, there is a sharp pain in the chest. Symptoms of intoxication are quite pronounced — pain in muscles and joints, headache. Sometimes there is a rash.
Prokofiev calls hoarseness, a pronounced loss of voice, the main characteristic symptom of covid. This phenomenon is associated with swelling of the vocal cords. With the usual flu and acute respiratory viral infections, this is rare. Sore throat is typical for all these types of diseases. But sneezing and suffering from a runny nose is most often a patient diagnosed with acute respiratory viral infections, emphasizes the chief specialist in the field of "infectious diseases" of the network of clinics "Be healthy", infectious disease specialist Andrei Matyukhin.
— Covid and influenza are characterized by drowsiness, weakness and severe fatigue, body aches and headache (with the flu — frequent and severe), dry cough, obsessive with covid, and with acute respiratory viral infections it can be of different types, but mostly wet, — continues the infectious disease specialist.
If we compare the onset and development of the disease, then in COVID-19 and in ordinary acute respiratory viral infections it is gradual, and the usual flu manifests itself suddenly and acutely, explains Matyukhin. A possible sign of coronavirus is shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. With the flu, this is rare, but it is not typical for ordinary acute respiratory viral infections.
Stratus and Nimbus
Infectious disease specialist Andrey Matyukhin recalls that vaccination and revaccination are the main and most effective way to protect against possible severe illness, hospitalization and death. Existing vaccines adapted to Omicron variants are also effective against new strains, the expert emphasizes.
— It is also important to observe hygiene — wash your hands, use antiseptics, — says Matyukhin. — In crowded places, especially indoors, a high-quality medical mask significantly reduces the risk of infection. Ventilate the room: regular air renewal reduces the concentration of the virus in the air.
And, of course, doctors advise to lead a healthy lifestyle: to establish a balanced diet, adequate sleep and, if possible, to manage stress. All this will help strengthen the immune system, especially since you can't do without covid this fall. In autumn, Russians will be particularly annoyed by two strains — "Stratus" (XFG) and "Nimbus" (NB.1.8.1).
"Stratus (XFG) is highly contagious, but with a predominantly mild course,— explains Andrey Matyukhin. — His distinctive feature is hoarseness of voice, which appears on the first or second day of illness and is observed in more than 70% of patients. In some cases, the voice may disappear altogether.
According to the infectious disease specialist, Nimbus (NB.1.8.1) is another Omicron subvariant, very contagious. A characteristic symptom of the disease is a pronounced, "cut" sore throat.
"In most cases, the effects of these strains are no worse than those of previous Omicron variants,— comments Andrey Matyukhin. — The main danger is postcovoid syndrome: prolonged weakness, concentration problems, shortness of breath, and cardiovascular complications. It can also develop with a mild form of the disease.
The consequences of the "crown"
In any case, it is impossible to start the disease, hoping for a speedy recovery without medical help. Dr. Prokofiev warns: during the covid period, there are still two of the most striking and severe complications: the development of viral-bacterial pneumonia and thrombosis. In particular, the virus is dangerous because the patient develops a pulmonary embolism: a blood clot (thrombus) clogs one or more pulmonary arteries.
It is dangerous to self-medicate with covid, as well as in cases with other ailments. A person without special education runs the risk of making a mistake when choosing funds.
— In case of covid, it is strictly forbidden to use drugs that enhance immunity, because this disease is associated with the development of a cytokine storm: the immune system works rather chaotically, warns the general practitioner. — Also, in the first stages, you can not use antibacterial therapy, because initially it is still a viral lesion.
If you use an antibiotic, you can cause irreparable harm to your health, because, firstly, it does not act on viruses, and secondly, it greatly weakens the immune system. According to Matyukhin, antibiotics are prescribed only by a doctor with the development of bacterial complications (for example, pneumonia).
With covid, and with many other diseases, Dr. Prokofiev does not recommend using any herbal preparations yourself, including breast preparations.
"Any herbal preparation can cause allergic sensitization and thereby increase the problems associated with sputum production, increased cough, and the development of allergic urticaria," comments Denis Prokofiev.
The general practitioner reminds us that any allergy is also an inflammation. Thus, by using herbal preparations, the patient risks putting another one on his inflammation, which will only worsen the situation.
Advice from the Internet should be treated with skepticism. For example, to recover from covid, proponents of traditional medicine advise to lean on fat. Supposedly, the lungs "love" this product.
— Lard is a very fatty product, and it will take a lot of effort to digest it during illness. This way you can weaken the gastrointestinal tract during illness, and it will not lead to anything good," comments Prokofiev.
A general practitioner considers breathing exercises to be the best aid to lung health. And if we talk about foods, then you should choose those that contain a lot of polyunsaturated omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids.
The infectious disease specialist warns that you cannot carry the disease "on your feet." Bed rest and rest are extremely important. Failure to follow this rule is a direct path to complications and long—term recovery.
— Do not take antipyretics (for example, paracetamol or ibuprofen) at the slightest increase in temperature, — the infectious disease specialist continues. — A temperature of up to 38.5 degrees is a protective reaction of the body that helps fight the virus. It should be reduced only if the increase in body temperature is poorly tolerated and exceeds 38.5 degrees.
Andrey Matyukhin advises to pay attention to alarming symptoms that require urgent medical attention.:
— shortness of breath, shortness of breath, chest pain;
— saturation (oxygen saturation of the blood) below 94-95% (measured by a pulse oximeter);
— high fever that does not go down with medications for more than three days;
— confusion, severe headache, speech disorders;
— significant deterioration of the condition after temporary improvement.
The infectious disease specialist strongly recommends maintaining isolation at home in full, according to the prescribed deadlines.
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