Severe COVID-19 and the Persistent Need to Safeguard Populations at High Risk

Severe COVID-19 and the Persistent Need to Safeguard Populations at High Risk

The idea of "severe COVID-19" might be terrifying, particularly as the term is sometimes misinterpreted or mistaken with having severe COVID-19 symptoms that one has determined oneself.
Eighty percent of people with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection test positive. However, persons with specific underlying medical disorders, regardless of age, particularly individuals 50 years of age or older are at a heightened risk of developing severe COVID-19. This equates to one in five individuals globally who are more susceptible to developing severe COVID-19.

Hospitalisation, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), intubation or artificial ventilation, or death are considered severe consequences of COVID-19. For example, a patient can have severe headache and cough (severe symptoms) but the disease, from a clinical spectrum, can still be mild-to-moderate. Severe illness is not the same as having symptoms that are subjectively deemed "severe." Understanding the distinctions between subjectively diagnosed severe symptoms and severe COVID-19 disease is crucial for making the appropriate decisions for ourselves and safeguarding our high-risk communities.

Severe symptoms of mild or moderate COVID-19 vs. Severe COVID-19

A "typical" COVID-19 infection does not exist. Positive test results for the virus can range widely, from no symptoms to life-threatening illness. While some COVID-19 patients may not suffer any symptoms at all, others may cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, headache, congestion, taste or smell loss, and muscular or body aches. Even though these symptoms could feel more serious or range from mild to moderate, these situations wouldn't necessarily be considered severe COVID-19.

If the patient has additional specific symptoms that define the severe or critical stages of COVID-19 that you don't have in the mild or moderate illness, the disease can progress to severe or critical illness as well as the symptoms worsen.

Once more, having severe COVID-19 is not defined by the intensity of symptoms. Rather, certain clinical signs—such as breathing more than 30 times per minute, having an oxygen saturation level below 94%, and having lung infiltrates greater than 50%—are used to diagnose severe COVID-19. If COVID-19 is mild or moderate and the patient is not at high risk of developing a serious illness, symptoms like headache, fever, or runny nose can be treated at home with over-the-counter pain medicines.

Even with modest symptoms, patients with COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing a serious illness should consult a doctor to examine whether a COVID-19 treatment could slow the disease's progression. Hospitalisation is necessary for patients with serious or critical illnesses, who may also require supporting ventilation or intensive care.

When a patient has mild to moderate COVID-19, symptoms could range from mild to severe. The patient's risk status should guide disease management rather than the perceived intensity of symptoms. If the patient is at high risk for a serious illness, these symptoms may deteriorate more quickly, much like the disease may advance swiftly to a severe or critical state. Most attention is focused on the intensity of symptoms, but that's not always the best way to focus. The patient's risk of developing a serious illness ought to be the main focus.

Addressing the possibility of severe illness

A higher risk of a COVID-19 infection developing into a severe illness exists for individuals who are 50 years of age or older, have certain underlying medical conditions, such as AIDS, chronic asthma, COPD, kidney disease, heart conditions or cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, or being overweight, or are immunocompromised due to certain medications, organ or stem cell transplants, or other conditions.

Many patients who are at high risk and qualify for COVID-19 treatment as an outpatient do not receive it, despite the hazards. The error is related to COVID-19 patients' focus on symptom intensity rather than the chance of developing a serious illness, as well as their ignorance of their high-risk status and consequent lack of care. To make matters worse, just half of people with underlying medical disorders are aware that they have a significant chance of developing a serious illness if they test positive for COVID-19, which discourages them from getting tested or treated.

The significance of prioritising protection beforehand

We are in a different stage of the pandemic now that the COVID-19 public health emergency has concluded, but the virus is still circulating. Maintaining current COVID-19 vaccination records lowers the risk of hospitalisation, mortality, and major disease from COVID-19. For those who qualify, following a positive COVID-19 test with recommended medicine lowers the chance of developing severe COVID-19.

It's also critical to know what defines a high risk for severe COVID-19, to be up to date on prevention, detection, and treatment options, and to be proactive in discussing that risk with healthcare practitioners. Even those with moderate symptoms should consult a healthcare provider if they have one or more high-risk indicators. Recall that the presence or absence of symptoms does not indicate a higher chance of developing a serious illness; in fact, mild or non-existent symptoms may precede the development of a severe case of COVID-19.