14/04/2021
Covid 19 information for Dr Aijian Patients
Symptoms of Covid
Body aches, fever, cough, sore throat, sometimes diarrhea, shortness of breath, loss of sense of taste/smell
Testing for Covid –
Nasal swab- PCR is looking for the virus present in the nose. The test may become positive days after symptoms start, so an early negative test does not mean you don’t have COVID-19. Early on, diagnosis is often made by symptoms.
Blood test- looking for the antibodies which come as the body defends itself. They come as a person is fighting the virus, and persist after the person has gotten well. They are present for up to 6 months, it appears. A positive antibody test means you had the disease. A Negative test may not prove you didn’t have it – you may have had Covid, gotten antibodies and they are now gone. What is not clear is whether you could get it again.
If you need to be tested with nasal swab, ask the front desk at my office how to go about it. Turnaround time can take a few days or even a week. This can be an issue for someone needing a test result urgently to go back to work or to fly. There are people who offer a test with immediate results, but it is pricey.
Children can get the disease, but appear to not get as sick, and are less likely to spread it. They don’t need any treatment other than fluids and acetaminophen usually. Many feel they should be back in school.
Who is at risk for Severe Covid?
People who are obese, over 50, diabetic, dark skinned, have a low vitamin D level, have chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, lung or kidney disease, alcoholism, are on immunosuppression or chemotherapy.
What to do if you are exposed to someone with Covid?
If the exposure was very peripheral, likely not anything to do.
If the contact was prolonged and intimate – ie. a family member, you should self- isolate and get tested. Masks, even in the house, make sense, as do open windows and good ventilation, and social distancing. Don’t forget hand washing.
Covid seems to have 2 phases –
Early disease which is self limited, and will go away with time and symptomatic treatment – fluids, rest, and acetaminophen
Late stage disease is the more worrisome condition, where a person has worsening shortness of breath, evidence of impaired circulation (blue toes), gets steadily weaker, mental changes and a host of other symptoms.
“Long Hauler” is a name for people who got Covid and have prolonged shortness of breath, brain fog and a myriad of other symptoms. How often severe Covid sufferer becomes a long hauler is not known.
How is Covid treated?
Conventional therapy is to stay home, isolate and take symptomatic OTC meds for fever and pain and wait for the mild form to pass.
It seems that taking Vitamin D3 (200-4000 units), vitamin C (1000-2000mg), zinc ( 50 mg with food) and Quercetin (500-1000 mg) are advised for just about every adult during this epidemic.
If a person is getting sicker, or has high risk factors, it’s more complicated.
One therapy which requires a trip to the ER is monoclonal antibodies, given by IV infusion. Your doctor would have to arrange this for you. They can be very effective but are best given early in the illness.
If you get really sick, you end up in the hospital. There, you are give a variety of treatments, including oxygen, steroids, Remdesivir, and perhaps antibiotics, if you have a superimposed bacterial infection. Also, blood thinners are started at this stage.
Is there a drug that works to shorten the illness once a person gets it, or reduces the risk of going from early to severe disease? Is there a drug useful for prevention of getting Covid? This is where there is a lot of controversy. Initially, doctors claimed that Hydroxychloroquine (a malaria drug also used for Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus) was effective. It was/is often given with Zithromax ( the “Z Pack”). President Trump promoted it and he was lampooned. It now turns out it may be effective after all.
Another debated drug is Ivermectin. This drug is used around the world for parasites, scabies, and lice. Early in the Covid epidemic, it was noted that Ivermectin did something to reduce the virus load in people with Covid and reduce the length, and severity of the illness. Many doctors believe it is the answer to initial treatment of Covid and also useful for prophylaxis. FLCCC is a group of these respected doctors. You can look up their reasoning and protocols online. Dr. Kory spoke before a Senate hearing, imploring them to approve it. Because the NIH and CDC have a very high bar of proof to say a drug should be recommended, they have been negative or neutral on this drug for Covid.
NIH has just recently gone form “not recommended” to treat Covid to “neither support or discourage “. This is a big step towards admitting it may be helpful. Doctors do prescribe Ivermectin for treatment and prophylaxis of Covid, but it is an “off label” use of the drug. Ivermectin is a very safe drug and there are very few reasons a person should not take it, mainly pregnancy, nursing a baby or being or a short list of other medicines.
Other countries are all in on the use of Ivermectin. The news in mid January 2021 is that in India, they have kiosks passing out ivermectin free at bus terminals and train stations.
Vaccines- there are now 2 available (Pfizer and Moderna) in the US. Soon there may be a third. They seem to be generally safe. People need to weigh their risk of getting the disease and dying of it, vs their perception of the risk of the vaccine. In the literature on the vaccine, it is noted that the second dose is likely to have more serious side effects and one should be prepared for a day or so of feeling rocky. Some people do have a rough time, most don’t. Just like wearing masks, there is great social and medical pressure to get the vaccine. The vaccines which are available now have demonstrated in studies a highly effective reduction of disease due to the strain that first arrived from China. How effective these vaccines remain for strains coming in from Britain, and South Africa remain to be seen.
