COVID - it hasn’t gone away! – Medical Matters with Derry GP Dr Tom Black

Given that there’s a lot less testing for Covid infections than in the recent past it’s worth looking at the symptoms of the current variant to help us diagnose this early.

The unique new feature seems to be hoarseness with a raspy voice so beware of anyone who suddenly seems to be attempting a Barry White impression.

Other common symptoms are temperature, dry cough, chills and fatigue. Less common symptoms are loss of smell and taste, nasal congestion, a sore throat, headache, muscle pains and diarrhoea.

If the infection becomes severe with chest pain, shortness of breath and a persistent high temperature medical help should be sought.

Overall, Covid is becoming less severe as population immunity improves due to previous infections and Covid vaccinations. We do have to be careful with the most vulnerable in our community, especially the elderly and those with compromised immunity.

If you have the obvious symptoms of Covid, it would be sensible not to expose family and friends to the infections and in particular elderly relatives should be protected.

The people most likely to become severely ill, resulting in hospital admission and death are those over 75 years. One of the most common requests from patients who phone their GP is to get an antibiotic because they’ve tested positive for Covid.

This creates an interesting dilemma for the GP because Covid is caused by a virus and as we all know antibiotics don’t work against viruses.

Despite this GPs often prescribed antibiotics to patients during the pandemic if they felt a Covid infection had made them vulnerable to secondary bacterial infection in their chest.

New research from a study done on 830,000 United States veterans has shown that Covid patients are more likely to suffer a secondary infection due to bacterial, fungal and other viral infections.

Another study found a 15 per cent increase in shingles presentations after a Covid infection and we certainly saw this during the pandemic.

What is the chance of another pandemic due to Covid or some other infection. Public health experts tell us that the risk is two to three per cent in the next year and about 50 per cent in the next 25 years so not a huge risk at present.

We’re at that time of the year when many of us will be called by our GP practice for vaccinations. The over 65s and those at risk will be called for flu vaccinations and the over 75s and immunocompromised will also be called for the autumn Covid vaccine.

Some lucky people will be called for their pneumococcal and shingles vaccines as well and the childhood vaccination program will continue as usual.

There is a lot of noise in the world again against vaccinations at present and as we live in a democracy, it’s a free choice as to whether to access this service or not. It’s worth noting that doctors would never refuse a vaccine and make sure their own children are vaccinated.

Throughout my career we have had scare stories about vaccinations which causes some upset and refusal in a minority of patients but with time usually resolves.