As new variants of the coronavirus proceed to achieve traction, docs and researchers are bracing for a possible rise in instances this summer time. KP.2, considered one of these variants, now accounts for 28.5 % of instances, and information from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reveals a small improve in Covid-related emergency room visits and optimistic exams.
Right here’s what to learn about signs, testing and remedy in case you do fall ailing:
Symptoms to be careful for
There’s no proof that signs of the brand new dominant variants, together with these collectively referred to as the “FLiRT” variants, are any totally different than different latest strains of the virus, stated Aubree Gordon, an infectious illness epidemiologist on the College of Michigan.
The signs nonetheless embody sneezing, congestion, complications, sore muscular tissues, nausea or vomiting. Many individuals additionally report exhaustion and a common “blah” feeling.
On the whole, the extra immunity you’ve constructed up from vaccination or previous infections, the milder your subsequent bout with the virus is prone to be. (Although it’s potential to expertise extra intense signs with a brand new an infection than you’ve had in previous Covid instances.)
The signs of Covid can look just like these attributable to allergies or different infections. One of the simplest ways to inform the distinction is to check.
When (and the way) to check
In a super world, specialists stated, folks would take a Covid take a look at as quickly as they develop signs or study they had been uncovered, after which test again a day or two later. However in case you solely have a restricted variety of at-home speedy exams, there are just a few methods to maximise their usefulness: Check instantly when you’ve got a fever and a cough, stated Dr. Davey Smith, an infectious illness specialist on the College of California, San Diego.