Although the news outlets have been filled with the Covid-19 updates since last year, the majority of the people are still unaware of the infection symptoms to look out for.
How Quickly Do The Covid-19 Symptoms Appear?
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So in this article, I’m going to guide you on everything you need to be cautious of regarding this virus which includes how it gets transmitted, the symptoms, when to attain vaccination and how to ensure self-protection.
How does the virus get transmitted?
First off, the virus that you contract is known as the SARS-CoV-2. It is said to spread through the droplets of saliva or nasal discharge when the infected person sneezes or coughs.
Apart from these, it can also be transmitted through a carrier ie; the infected person might not show any symptoms but they will be able to transmit the virus to another.
One can also catch Covid-19 upon touching their nose or mouth after being in contact with virus-contaminated surfaces.
Now you may understand why masks, social distancing, and sanitizers are made mandatory.
Now let’s talk about what are the symptoms of this infection.
What are the symtoms of Covid-19?
CDC provides a list of Covid 19 symptoms that would be found in an individual infected with the coronavirus. Here are the following to look out for-
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Cough
- Headache
- Nasal blocks or excess sneezing
- Sore throat
- Gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea.
- Body ache, muscle pain
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of taste or smell
These are said to be the common initial symptoms. In severe cases, one might undergo-
- Bluish lips or face
- Extreme difficulty in breathing
- Constant chest pain
A Chinese study showed that an estimated 651 infected individuals who consulted medical help expressed gastrointestinal symptoms.
When do the symptoms appear?
The time between the exposure and symptoms is known as the incubation period. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that these symptoms usually occur within 2-14 days.
This is why quarantines are set for 14 days as after this period, the symptoms start to show upon which virus can be easily detected.
Studies conducted as per the 2020 covid cases say that approximately 97.5% of people showed the infection symptoms within 11.5 days.
Researchers also state that the average incubation period to contract the coronavirus is said to be 5.1 days. Although most people are said to develop the symptoms within 14 days, in some cases it might take a longer time.
Various other research points out that around 101 infected people out of 10,000 had an incubation period of more than 14 days.
The most common symptoms usually found are respiratory problems. Around 80% of people can recover from the coronavirus without undergoing treatment.
Whereas people with weak immunity tend to become critically ill after contracting the virus. This is mostly seen in the elderly and individuals with underlying health conditions such as disability, heart diseases, etc.
What action needs to be taken if there are symptoms?
Have you noticed yourself with any of the above-mentioned symptoms? Then the foremost thing that you have to do is do not panic! If you have been undergoing the symptoms of Covid-19, ensure to stay isolated in your room and alert the nearby clinic or hospital immediately.
Upon contacting the healthcare, ensure to let them know of the following-
- The type of symptoms you have
- The severity of the symptoms
- All the recent places you have traveled or visited
- The people you have come in contact with
Make sure to provide the details correctly as you will be diagnosed and treated based on it.
CDC recommends the following steps to be practiced in case of having covid symptoms-
- Self-isolation and stay at home
Self-isolating yourself at home is vital to remain socially distant from others at the same time for self-recovery. Stay indoors, keep your sanitizers and masks with you and avoid any outside contact maximum.
- Observe your condition regularly
Monitor your health daily and look for any increase in symptoms.
- Maintain social distancing maximum
This mostly aligns with the self-isolation measure. Make sure that the room you are staying in is attached to a bathroom or if you can use a separate bathroom only for yourself.
- Stay hydrated and eat nutritious food
The best and probably the only way to reduce your symptoms before being fully infected is to boost your immunity as much as possible.
Eat nutrient-rich food items, drink enough water, and sleep as much as possible as self-recovery works at its best while you are asleep.
- Avoid using public or private transport
If your condition is worsening, you will be taken to the hospital by the medical specialists and ambulance themselves.
So do not use any public or private vehicle to reach the hospital or even go out for any reason. In any case of emergency, contact your local health authorities immediately.
Although social distancing, sanitizers, and masks are like the safety trio in covid guidelines, here are a few other measures that you can ensure to protect yourself from being infected-
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or anywhere in your face. You won’t know if you have been in contact with the virus until the symptoms show up. We all are new to wearing masks regularly and therefore there is a tendency to touch the face to adjust the masks. Wear well-fitting masks to prevent that.
- Do not share any personal items with anyone. Keep your electronic devices, clothes, brushes, utensils, and everything that you use separately whether you are infected or not.
- Clean all the high-touch places inside your house such as doorknobs stair rails etc using a diluted bleach solution or the regular household cleaners.
- Apart from using sanitizers, wash your hands every 5-10 minutes (which is the common covid guideline) and take baths after you come back from outside.
To conclude
I hope I have educated you well-enough on the novel coronavirus and how powerful and dangerous its impacts are.
Around 2.5 million around the globe have lost their lives to this dreadful virus.
With the rise of new variants, the need to practice the measures that we preach is only becoming more and more significant.
Many people have and continue to disregard the safety guidelines which poses a major threat to others protection.
Its high time that we take up the responsibility to spread maximum awareness ourselves and call out the individuals not following the safety measures to practice them.
