16/01/2022
Sharing advice a a physician from the USA. All very good points to consider - From Dr. Ted Herbosa
Recently, the epidemic in the United States has rebounded sharply. This rebound is closely related to the new variant virus Omicron. The American City News Network invited Dr. Bao Wei, MD, to analyze the Omicron virus for readers and help everyone better cope with the epidemic.
1) Q: What are the main clinical symptoms of Omicron?
Answer: Mainly include sore throat, dry cough with less phlegm, chills and fever, headache, nasal congestion, night sweats, fatigue and lethargy. The sore throat can be very severe, and patients sometimes describe that they have never experienced so much pain in their entire lives.
2) Q: What if I have the above symptoms but the self-antigen test is negative?
Answer: If you have the above symptoms, the probability of Omicron is very high. You can test again in 2-3 days, or go to the laboratory for a PCR test.
3) Q: How long did the above clinical symptoms last?
A: It is longer than we originally thought. We thought it would last for 3-5 days. Now we think it will last for about 2 weeks, but the degree will be lessened.
4) Q: I have received more than two doses of the new covid19 vaccine or have previously had a new covid infection (variants other than Omicron), will I get Omicron again?
Answer: Yes! The neutralizing ability of Omicron by antibodies produced by previous vaccines or diseases is significantly reduced, which we call "immune escape".
5) Q: Why is Omicron's symptoms relatively mild?
A: There are two main reasons:
a) Although the neutralizing ability of Omicron by the antibodies produced by the previous vaccine or disease is significantly weakened, the T cell immune function produced by the vaccine or disease can still play a role.
b) The pathogenicity of Omicron itself is weak.
6) Q: Will I still be infected by the previous Delta variant after getting Omicron?
Answer: Generally not, the antibody produced after getting Omicron also has a preventive effect on Delta variant infection.
7) Q: If I have recently contracted the new covid infection, do I still need a third booster shot?
A: Because more than 95% of the newly diagnosed new covid infections are Omicron infections, after infection with Omicron, you can not only generate immunity against Omicron, but also generate immunity against the previous Delta, so you do not need a booster shot for the time being.
😎 Q: What should I do if I am diagnosed with a new virus?
answer:
a) Self-isolation
b) symptomatic treatment
For the treatment of sore throat, try the following methods:
1) Gargle with salt water
2) Drink more warm honey lemonade
3) Lozenges lozenges, because there is a small amount of anesthetic in it to relieve pain
4) Many lozenges to soothe the throat a bit
5) If it is very serious, you can ask your doctor to prescribe ViscousLidocaine for you, and apply it to the back of the pharynx with a cotton swab at home
For other symptoms, try the following:
1) Tylenol can be used for fever, headache, and joint pain
2) Anti-allergic drugs can be used for nasal congestion, preferably those containing D, such as Zyrtec-D, Allegra-D, etc.
3) If you can't sleep due to sore throat at night, you can use sedative and sleeping pills appropriately
4) Cough can be used cough medicine
c) Ensure adequate nutrition and sleep
d) Self-monitoring of blood oxygen concentration, if it is less than 95%, go to the hospital immediately.
e) If you belong to a high-risk group, you can use monoclonal antibodies or oral antiviral drugs. The new antiviral drug Paxlovid worked very well. 607 patients in the experimental group started taking the drug within 5 days of onset, and no one died. (It was originally planned to do a clinical trial of 3,000 people, but the result was too good to do a trial of 1,219 people and stopped).
9) How long should I self-isolate after getting sick?
A: CDC guidelines say to self-isolate for 5 days, then wear a mask for 5 days. But now we find that many patients still have positive antigen/PCR tests on the 5th day, so I suggest that you should self-isolate for 8-10 days and have no fever for at least 24 hours, then wear a mask for 5 days.
10) Is there anything to prevent Omicron infection?
Answer: No! But there are some things that can reduce your chances of getting sick, such as minimizing the chance of contact with people, having fewer gatherings and meals, paying attention to personal hygiene, wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and maintaining social distance. In addition, some health products may also reduce the chance of getting sick, such as vitamin D, vitamin C, NAC, Quercetin, zinc, etc. Finally, good sleep habits are also very important. Studies have shown that adequate sleep and sleep time before 12 o'clock in the middle of the night are directly proportional to the body's immunity.
