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COVID-19 is an acute infectious disease of the respiratory system. It is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus classified as coronavirus. COVID-19 may be asymptomatic, but in many cases it causes symptoms ranging from mild to moderate to severe, requiring hospitalization, and often fatal. What are the symptoms of COVID-19, how is the disease treated, what are the complications and how can I protect myself against COVID-19?

COVID-19- is an abbreviation of the English words Coronavirus Disease 2022. The world first heard about COVID-19 in December 2022, when in the city of Wuhan in the province Hubei was diagnosed with a series of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause. The virus that caused the disease was originally named 2022-nCoV (novel coronavirus) and is now called SARS-CoV-2.

Chinese researchers suggested then that patients contracted an unknown virus from bats, pangolins could also be a potential indirect carrier.

The virus is highly contagious, which, combined with the susceptibility of populations that have not had contact with it so far, has led to an outbreak - the number of cases has increased so rapidly that WHO (World He alth Organization) announced the threat on January 30, 2022 for public he alth of international concern as a result of an epidemic. On March 11, 2022, the state of the COVID-19 pandemic was announced.

COVID-19 - symptoms

The symptoms of COVID-19 resemble those of other respiratory infections, so it is initially easy to mistake for a cold or the flu.

Patients with COVID-19 most often develop fever, cough, muscle pain and fatigue, while the less common symptoms of COVID-19 are sore throat, headache, diarrhea, loss of smell and taste, conjunctivitis, rash and discoloration on the fingers and on the feet.

Some people with COVID-19 develop severe signs of infection, such as shortness of breath, breathing problems, chest pain, and problems with moving and speaking.

It is worth emphasizing that the symptoms of COVID-19 vary from person to person - not all patients also have a similar intensity.

They usually appear 5 days after exposure to the virus, but can also appear sooner or later - even after 14 days.

COVID-19 - recognition. Tests onCOVID-19

To confirm COVID-19, it is not enough just to analyze the symptoms: specialized tests are necessary. Currently, the only tests recommended by the World He alth Organization to confirm active infection are RT-PCR tests, i.e. molecular tests that - to put it simply - detect the presence of coronavirus RNA (genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus).

The test material is obtained during a smear from the patient's nose or throat with a special stick - the so-called swabs.

Testing for COVID-19 should be performed by people who have symptoms of COVID-19, primarily coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and people who have close contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19.

It is also recommended for people returning from areas with high rates of coronavirus infections and for those who work (or visit) a hospital where COVID-19 patients are treated. Tests for COVID-19 can be performed both in the framework of the National He alth Fund (tests are currently directed by, among others, GPs), and for a fee, in private institutions.

COVID-19 - infection and course

Scientists have found that COVID-19 is easiest to get infected by airborne droplets through contact with microdroplets of a sick person's secretion, although airborne transmission of the coronavirus is also possible, as it remains in the air for some time.

Particular risk exists in poorly ventilated rooms.

After entering the body (which is possible through the mouth, nose and even eyes), the virus is attacked by the body's immune cells. Already in the early stages of infection in the lungs, the virus replicates intensively and then spreads further by airborne droplets.

The course of COVID-19 infection varies greatly. COVID-19 may be asymptomatic (this is the case for most children under 15), and the intensity of symptoms may also resemble a mild respiratory infection or the flu.

Finally, it can be severe, including acute respiratory distress syndrome and even multiple organ failure. Basically, COVID-19 can have three phases:

  • Mild symptoms, including fever, dry cough, feeling dizzy, aches and pains in the muscles, head and joints.
  • Pneumonia, not life-threatening.
  • Severe pneumonia, which may result in acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and even death.

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent people suffering from COVID-19 do not require hospital treatment. On the other hand, the disease is more severe in one in 5-6 people.

In some people, after being infected with the coronavirusSARS-CoV-2, a phenomenon called a cytokine storm occurs. It is a systemic inflammatory response caused by unnaturally stimulated cells in the immune system, and the uncontrolled secretion of large amounts of pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines.

These proteins influence the growth, multiplication and uncontrolled stimulation of subsequent cells involved in the body's immune response. A cytokine storm is a very dangerous condition that can lead to death.

The observations so far show that the resistance to the coronavirus is temporary and it is possible to get COVID-19 again.

COVID-19 - treatment

People confirmed to be COVID-19 must be in isolation. In the case of mild or moderate course, the disease is treated at home, in severe cases hospitalization in an infectious diseases hospital is necessary.

There is currently no effective cure for COVID-19. In the case of a mild infection, it is recommended to use medications that alleviate symptoms: antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. The sick person must rest, drink a lot and eat a few easily digestible meals a day. As the disease is very contagious, it is important that the sick person stay in a room other than the rest of the household, use their own cutlery, and wear a mask during possible contact.

In case of exacerbation of symptoms - breathing problems, shortness of breath, very high fever - the patient should be hospitalized. In such a situation, you need to call an ambulance, which will take the patient to an infectious diseases hospital.

There is no COVID-19 specific antiviral treatment yet. The basis of care for patients with COVID-19 is symptomatic outpatient treatment with full support of intensive medical care when needed.

There are currently several types of adjunctive therapies that can be used to treat COVID-19 - corticosteroid therapy (used to reduce the inflammatory response that can lead to acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome), immunosuppressants, and immunoglobulin therapy.

In people who developed the so-called a cytokine storm, doctors may use an immunosuppressant to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

The blood plasma of people who have overcome SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection and developed specific antibodies-immunoglobulins may also be effective in the treatment of COVID-19. According to experts, the antibodies found in the plasma of such peoplehave the potential to trigger an immune response against SARS-CoV-2, which is likely to contribute to effective treatment of the infection. However, more research is needed.

In Poland, COVID-19 treatment is used, inter alia, supportive care, which includes symptomatic treatment, antibiotic therapy, oxygen therapy, glucocorticosteroids in the event of deterioration of respiratory function, mechanical ventilation and drugs with potential antiviral effects.

COVID-19 - complications

Virologists suspect that the coronavirus may have long-term effects on the he alth of those infected, well beyond the weeks of infection (similar to SARS, which appeared in 2002).

People recovered from COVID-19 often report that the disease leaves traces, causing complications in the form of long-term symptoms known as post-viral syndrome, such as fatigue, memory loss, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, chills, psychological problems.

Some people also lose their sense of smell and taste, suffer from shortness of breath, memory impairment, and so-called brain fog. A complication after COVID-19 can also be changes in the respiratory system, especially in the lungs, and also in the heart. Some studies, conducted so far on small groups of patients, show that in 60 percent people who suffered from COVID-19 have changes characteristic of past myocarditis, and 78% the heart is damaged.

Complications occur not only in people with mild, moderate or severe COVID-19, but also in those who have had no symptoms.

So far it is not known whether these changes are permanent or temporary, disappearing, for example, one year after the infection.

COVID-19 - mortality

The death rate due to COVID-19 is even several times higher than that of the seasonal flu.

Who dies most often from COVID-19? The analyzes so far show that people over 65 are most likely to die from COVID-19, especially those with comorbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, obesity, liver disease, and cancer.

Younger people, including those without comorbidities, also die from COVID-19. So far, the youngest COVID-19 victims in Poland are 18 years of age.

COVID-19 - how to protect yourself?

Experts emphasize that the coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets - microdroplets of saliva and secretions from the respiratory tract of an infected person may for some timefloat in the air, they can also settle on objects of everyday use, e.g. door handles, telephones, banknotes. By touching them, it is easy to spread the virus around the mouth, nose or eyes, and this is a simple path to infection.

Therefore, it is very important to follow the basic safety rules. It is important to wash your hands frequently and disinfect them with special preparations.

To protect yourself from infection, you should also follow the principle of keeping your distance - currently a distance of 1.5 m is recommended, but experts from the CDC and WHO emphasize that in some cases, e.g. in poorly ventilated rooms, such a distance may turn out to be insufficient.

You should also cover your mouth and nose with a protective mask - not only do we minimize the risk of our own infection, but also prevent possible transmission of the virus to the environment if we are its carrier or have had the disease without symptoms.

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