Introduction
As the world continues to grapple with the novel coronavirus, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, recently shared some insight into what to look out for if you think you may have been exposed to the virus. In this article, we will discuss the symptoms Dr. Fauci has identified and provide some tips on what to eat and what to avoid if you think you may have had COVID-19.
If You Feel This, You May Have Had COVID, Says Dr. Fauci — Eat This Not That
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, has warned that if you experience certain symptoms, you may have had COVID-19. He recommends that if you have any of the following symptoms, you should get tested for the virus:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Loss of taste or smell
Dr. Fauci also recommends that if you have had COVID-19, you should take extra precautions to protect yourself and others. This includes eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding contact with people who may be infected.
Eating a healthy diet is especially important for those who have had COVID-19. Eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help boost your immune system and help you recover from the virus. It’s also important to avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and foods high in saturated fat.
If you have had COVID-19, it’s also important to get plenty of rest. Getting enough sleep can help your body recover from the virus and can help you stay healthy. It’s also important to avoid contact with people who may be infected, as this can increase your risk of getting the virus again.
By following Dr. Fauci’s advice and eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding contact with people who may be infected, you can help protect yourself and others from the virus.
A growing number of people are reporting signs of long COVID, a concerning trend where virus symptoms continue for months after initial infection. Not helping matters is the spread of BA.5, the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant which is evading immunity from vaccines and prior infection. “We do know for absolutely certain that there is a post-COVID syndrome,” Dr. Fauci says. “Anywhere from 25% to 35%—or more—have lingering symptoms well beyond what you would expect from any post viral syndrome like influenza and others.” Here are five signs you’ve already had COVID, according to Dr. Fauci. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Dr. Fauci has warned about fatigue being one of the signs of post-COVID syndrome. “Many [patients] had only minor COVID-19 symptoms to start, and here they are months later saying, ‘I can’t return to work. I can’t take care of my kids.’ They struggle with symptoms like intense fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and cognitive impairment. Tied to that are anxiety and depression. They are understandably very frustrated,” says Johns Hopkins pulmonologist Emily Brigham, MD.
Dr. Fauci has highlighted shortness of breath as another common sign of long COVID. “Some systematic reviews and studies have shown this to be more common in older patients. But in our practice, we are seeing it more common in younger patients,” says Michael Ghobrial, MD, Medical Director of Respiratory Therapy and Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Cleveland Clinic’s Medina Hospital. “It’s more common in females compared to males. It’s also more common in patients who have other comorbidities and patients who have been having significant disease.”
Long-term brain fog—where people have memory issues, trouble focusing, and more—is one of the more common symptoms of long COVID, Dr Fauci says. “There are thousands of people who have that,” says Dr. Igor Koralnik, chief of neuro-infectious disease at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. “The impact on the workforce that’s affected is going to be significant.”
Dr. Fauci has mentioned chronic, ongoing sleep issues as a sign of long COVID. “Sleep disorders are one of the most common symptoms that patients who suffer from post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection are having these days. So mainly what we are finding is that they complain from insomnia, fatigue, also brain fog, some of them present sometimes circadian rhythm disorders,” says Cinthya Pena, MD, sleep specialist for Cleveland Clinic.
Ongoing muscle aches are another symptom of long COVID to be aware of, Dr. Fauci says.
“One out of three people who are ill with COVID-19 will have unusual muscle pains. It’s more common in adults aged 16-65 (41%) than children (15%) or those over the age of 65 (36%),” according to the ZOE Health Study. “Unusual muscle pains are most likely to occur alongside other symptoms. Across all ages, most of the time muscle pains happen alongside fatigue and sometimes with fever, feeling dizzy or light-headed and skipping meals.”
Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don’t travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
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