COVID-19 – Page 30 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Daylight Saving Time-March 8

Most of the United States changed to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday March 8 2020. However, since then, not much else has been the same due to the pandemic caused by the novel Coronavirus that began in China at the end of 2019.

Your body has probably adjusted to the time change but WebMD offers these tips to make the change easier.

St. Patrick’s Day-March 17

Cities around the world cancelled their St. Patrick’s Day parades-Dublin Ireland, New York City New York, Boston Massachusettes, and Chicago Illinois.

Not only is the parade in Chicago cancelled, but also the tradition of dying the Chicago River green.

Fortunately, I have this photo from a previous year taken by my son who lives there.

The Chicago River is green on St. Patrick's Day — photo of the Chicago River dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day by Ryan Oglesby

Welcome Spring

We will welcome the first day of Spring, March 20, in the northern hemisphere, with the occurrence of the vernal equinox. I don’t think the virus can stop that, but may make it less enjoyable.

Many families are cancelling or limiting their spring break vacation plans. Even Disney World is closing all of their parks.

This link to The Weather Channel explains what the vernal equinox means.

graphic of the earth explaining equinox and solstice — original source not known

National Residency Match Day

March 20 is also Match Day. No, not the match you light fires with.

It’s the day graduating medical students find out what residency program they will join through the National Resident Matching Program , which “matches” them with available positions in residencies all over the United States.

Why should you care? This matching process determines who will care for our medical needs in the next 30-40 years; our family physicians, internists, pediatricians, general surgeons, obstetricians, dermatologists, psychiatrists, and the multitude of other medical specialties. Most doctors will continue in the same specialty their entire career, although some switch after a few or many years.

For those graduates who match to a residency, especially if it is their top choice, it is a day for celebrating with family and friends, almost like a graduation. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 outbreak many medical schools are scaling down or even cancelling festivities this year, disappointing after 4 years of long hours of study and hours of tiring clinical work.

Match Days Cancelled, Pared Down Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

THE SURPRISING NEW DOCTORS CARING FOR YOU — photo from Lightstock.com, graphic created with Canva

Read this previous post about the new doctors who will care for you

National Doctor’s Day

March 30 has been designated National Doctor’s Day in the United States. You may not have heard of a day to honor doctors.

The first Doctors’ Day observance was March 30, 1933, in Winder, Georgia. The idea came from a doctor’s wife, Eudora Brown Almond, and the date was the anniversary of the first use of general anesthetic in surgery.

The Barrow County (Georgia) Medical Society Auxiliary proclaimed the day “Doctors’ Day,” which was celebrated by mailing cards to physicians and their wives and by placing flowers on the graves of deceased doctors.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress established a National Doctors’ Day first celebrated on March 30, 1991.

In 2020 we’ll be thanking doctors for tackling this new and largely unknown disease that just a few weeks ago we knew little about. Since then we’ve learned it’s name, it’s genome, symptoms, transmission, and complications, and slowly learning what does and does not work, and how to contain and stop it.

March Madness- college basketball tournament

Even people who don’t follow basketball regularly, get excited about March Madness-when college football teams vie to be named the National Champion.

Sadly, that has also been canceled this year, along with other amateur and professional sporting events. Even the Summer Olympics is in question.

statues of runners passing a torch — at the U.S. Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs Colorado, photo by Dr.Aletha

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Influenza and Coronavirus

When I first published this post, I didn’t know these basic recommendations help fight another serious infectious respiratory disease-COVID-19 due to the SARS-CoV-2.

1. If you think you have the “flu”, remember it could be something else.

To many people “the flu” is any respiratory illness characterized by fever, cough, congestion, fatigue, and aches. That term has become so nonspecific even we doctors use it that way. But flu should refer to influenza, one of many viruses that cause respiratory illness. The other major ones are the COVID-19 virus and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

Several other viruses cause mild respiratory illnesses such as

rhinosinusitis, aka “colds”, upper respiratory infections-URIs,
bronchitis,
pharyngitis (sore throat)

Pneumonia is a respiratory illness caused by several viruses and bacteria and less commonly fungi. I’m not discussing those in this post.

The human respiratory system — The respiratory tract including the nose, sinuses, mouth, throat, trachea, bronchi in blue and the lungs (pink). Infections can involve the breathing organs from the nose all the way down to the lungs. (photo complimentary from Pixabay)

2. If your doctor thinks you have influenza or COVID, take it seriously .

Before the “rapid flu” test, we doctors diagnosed influenza by the characteristic symptoms, exam, and knowing there was an outbreak in the community. The test is helpful for confirmation but like the COVID test may be negative depending on when the test occurs.

3. The best way to prevent influenza is by vaccination.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) , the National Foundation for Infectious Disease and other reputable medical organizations recommend vaccination against influenza.

People refuse vaccination because they believe it is ineffective, unnecessary, dangerous, toxic, unnatural, subversive, and who knows what else. I don’t think I or anyone else are going to change their minds.

My family and I always get vaccinations which have successfully protected us without side effects or adverse reactions. There are risks, just like there are with any medical procedure, or lots of other things we do in life. In this case, we have decided the benefit outweighs the risk.

If you don’t want a “flu shot”, discuss it with your doctor before saying no. Your doctor can explain any concerning information you have heard and offer reassurance Please listen.

4. Stay away from others if you are sick.

It’s not a coincidence that influenza outbreaks coincide with the American holiday season (approximately November through January). So to protect us all,

Stay home if you are sick, and ask your family, co-workers, and employees to do the same.
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing; use your sleeve, not your hand.
Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Wash your hands frequently, thoroughly, and long enough.
Wash frequently touched surfaces with disinfectant.

Hand hygiene saves lives. — a common sight now in public restrooms

5. If you get sick, don’t ask your doctor for an antibiotic.

Antibiotics attack bacteria. Influenza and 99% of all respiratory illnesses are due to viruses.

There are influenza antiviral drugs that will “shorten the duration and severity of symptoms” by 1-2 days if started early. The effectiveness is uncertain for an illness that will resolve within 10-14 days regardless. But if it gets you back to school or work a day earlier, it may be worth the cost-they are not cheap drugs.

For COVID, the antivirals minimize the chance of the illness becoming severe, especially for high-risk people.

Otherwise, the treatment is“symptomatic” or “supportive” care for the milder respiratory infections.

Rest; eat and drink as normally as possible; extra fluids if running a fever
Non-prescription cough/congestion /pain/fever meds

Acetaminophen for aches and fever

Lozenges for sore throat, cough, and congestion

Breathing moist air using a humidifier helps with cough and congestion.

(The previous are affiliate links. )

6. Influenza and COVID complications

People die from complications of influenza, and infants, young children and the elderly have the most significant risk. The most common fatal complication is bacterial pneumonia, an infection in the lung. Influenza can also attack the nervous system causing brain inflammation (encephalitis and/or meningitis) and paralysis in the form of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

an xray of healthy lungs with no signs of pneumonia. — Healthy lungs with no signs of pneumonia.

Persons with chronic illnesses like diabetes, lung disorders, depressed immune systems, and cancer are at greater risk of complications and should always consult a physician if feeling ill. If you don’t know if you fall into that category, ask your doctor.

what you really need to know

We should all take influenza and COVID-19 seriously; consider my suggestions, talk to your personal doctor, keep up with recommendations from your local public health professionals, and do your part to keep your family and community well.

Here are some previous posts about infections.

Get Smart About Antibiotics

“Most common infections, such as colds, flu, most sore throats, bronchitis, and many sinus and ear infections, are caused by viruses and do not respond to antibiotic treatment. “

6 smart facts about antibiotics

“You may think of antibiotics as safe, harmless drugs with no potential for serious effects. Usually, antibiotics are well tolerated and safe. But serious side effects are possible, though infrequent.”

Sorting out sinusitis

“If you have a bacterial sinus infection with more than mild symptoms, an antibiotic may relieve symptoms and help you recover sooner. “

Exploring the HEART of health