All around the world people are grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. While the majority of people who contract this highly contagious respiratory illness can expect to recover without incident, 1 in 6 become seriously sick and require medical care. The entire team at Plastic Surgery Specialists of Boca Raton wants to keep you safe and healthy and offers the following COVID-19 primer.
You have a higher risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 if you:
What makes this novel coronavirus so risky is that most people develop mild symptoms, and they occur gradually. And in some cases, you can develop COVID-19 without displaying any symptoms at all. Unfortunately, you can still spread the virus even without having any symptoms.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, you’ll probably feel like you have a cold because it usually causes fatigue, fever, and a dry cough. Additional symptoms might include:
The shortness of breath, or wheezing, is what distinguishes the disease from a cold or the flu and requires medical attention.
Because of the dangerous health risks associated with COVID-19, it’s crucial to take steps immediately — even if your symptoms seem mild — to reduce the spread of infection.
Staying home and isolating yourself from others is the most important thing you can do if you have COVID-19. You should also take similar precautions if you have been exposed to someone who may be sick.
We recommend taking these steps:
It’s also important not to share any items with people in your household, including bedding, utensils, and food. And, you should clean any surfaces you touch and disinfect them between use.
You should also plan on remaining isolated in your home for at least seven days after your symptoms first appear and for at least 72 hours after your fever subsides without the use of medications.
Fortunately, 80% of people experience mild-to-moderate symptoms from COVID-19. The downside is that there isn’t a prescription available to cure your illness quickly, so you have to wait it out.
While recovering from COVID-19, several things can help keep you comfortable, including:
If you develop emergency warning symptoms, including pressure or pain in your chest, difficulty breathing, confusion, or a bluish tinge to your lips or face, contact your doctor immediately.
