In 2020, our world turned upside down with lockdowns, business closures, working from home, and homeschooling. This was all in the name of not catching the virus.
Despite all these safety measures, few people can say that they didn’t catch COVID-19 at least once.
Once you become infected with COVID-19 and spend the day (or week) in bed, do you think you are finished with the virus?
That's not the case for some people!
Did you test positive for COVID-19 at some point, and now it seems like you keep coming down with symptoms of the virus?
There’s a strong possibility that you have long COVID-19. Long COVID can cause many days of feeling under the weather over months.
Many people find that once they have tested positive for COVID-19, it keeps returning to haunt them.
According to the National Institutes of Health long Covid-19 is a situation where you test positive for the virus, and have symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache, and cough for a few days or longer.
You then start to improve and think it’s over, and as time goes by you come down with a return of more symptoms.
The symptoms can be anything from fatigue and weakness to muscle and joint pain. This page has an interactive symptoms checker that can show you a wide range of symptoms from head to toe.
The people who are most likely to have long COVID-19 are those whose COVID symptoms cause them to be very ill, hospitalized, those with a lowered immune system, and the unvaccinated.
Other people at risk are older females, people who had an immune response when infected, or if the Omicron variant was the cause of their illness.
The CDC recommends following up with your Primary Care Provider and taking good care of yourself.
They also recommend getting plenty of rest, making healthy food choices, exercising, and avoiding alcohol.
Connecting with family and friends and taking time for yourself is always good for your mental health.
Everyone should continue to share the role of protecting each other, especially during flu season.
Following good hygiene practices such as keeping your hands clean, staying home if you are not feeling well, and wearing a mask if you need to be near others.
The CDC provides an extensive resource page to support those who are affected by long COVID as well as their friends and family.
Be sure to follow up with your primary care provider to ensure you are getting the best care possible through this challenging time.
Remember to continue to follow a healthy lifestyle that will strengthen your immune system and your mental health.
Written by: Melody Pirie RN