Understanding Long COVID: Symptom Awareness.
Understanding Long COVID: Symptom Awareness.
COVID testing/airborne infection prevention is necessary.
Highlights:
➡️ Testing for COVID is Necessary.
➡️ Vaccines do NOT prevent Long COVID.
➡️ The use of N-95 Masks and other airborne infection prevention measures must be maintained in healthcare settings.
➡️ 4 in 10 Emergency Department patients diagnosed with COVID had Long COVID symptoms 3 months later.
➡️ One in five who tested negative claiming to never having been infected also report symptoms consistent with Long COVID.
➡️ False negative tests are common during the first 4 days of symptoms. In other words, potentially millions of people don't realize they are suffering from varying degrees of Long COVID.
While vaccines help reduce severe COVID cases, they don't eliminate the risk of developing long-term symptoms. This finding emphasizes the importance of continued vigilance and protective measures, even post-vaccination.
This study highlights widespread long-COVID symptoms, challenging WHO's definitions. The diverse range of symptoms complicates diagnosis and treatment, as they often overlap with other conditions. This complexity underscores the need for a broader understanding of Long COVID.
Importantly, testing for SARS-CoV-2 during the acute phase of a suspected infection should continue until specific biomarkers of Long-COVID become available for diagnosis and treatment.
Identifying these biomarkers is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Prevention is the best medicine. We must work Together Against COVID Transmission.
Reference:
Post-COVID-19 condition symptoms among emergency department patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection Published: September 30, 2024
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52404-4
With a nasopharyngeal test taking up to 4 days to go positive after symptoms, I wonder if a rectal swab might be a more effective test? Don't know if this has ever been explored and probably never will be, but anything that ultimately ends up in wastewater has to make its way past the back door at some point.