[Rotary] Could it be Covid?

[John Cottle]

Though the most common current variant is indeed causing less severe
disease, the symptoms have changed.  This is from a study by a large group
including Harvard, Stanford, and British researchers:

"Study participants reported similar symptoms whether they were
unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or fully vaccinated. Four of the five
most reported symptoms were found across all three groups, with sore
throat, runny nose, persistent cough, and headache ranking in the top
five—though the ranked order of those symptoms varied by vaccination status.

Notably, vaccinated participants reported fewer symptoms over a shorter
period, which suggests that they were less ill and recovered more quickly."

I found this concerning, because these symptoms are likely to be ascribed
to a common cold or allergy.  High fever and loss of smell can occur, but
later in the disease process.

Many, but probably not all of you have been keeping up on Covid related
news.  I do not wish to be an alarmist, but there are still cases
throughout our community, and I think it behooves us to stay informed and
careful.

Many of us are at increased risk because of age and other chronic medical
conditions.  Even more of us are in contact with persons at increased
risk.  In addition, regardless of vaccination status the more times a
person contracts the virus, the greater the risk of developing Long Covid
symptoms, which I have witnessed in the clinic and they are quite disabling.

In the interest of protecting loved ones, friends, and vulnerable persons
in our community, I plan to isolate and test repeatedly if I develop the
above symptoms, and hope that others do the same.  I still mask indoors in
most public places.

Forward this to others as you see fit.

John Cottle
Family Physician
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.mcn.org/pipermail/rotary/attachments/20221219/bc65e035/attachment.html