COVID-19: Doctor’s advice on what to do when you experience shortness of breath
One of the symptoms of COVID-19 is shortness of breath. Here is what you need to do when you are at home and this symptom strikes.
South Africa is currently battling with the second wave of COVID-19. The National Institute For Communicable Diseases describes the second wave as ‘a new wave lasting one or more days, commencing after the 'end of the first wave'’.
During the second wave, South Africa recorded more than one-million confirmed positive cases of the virus.
Dr Mabowa Makhomisane explains that “when the first wave came in South Africa, we had much less numbers in South Africa of people who were suffering from COVID-19. So the lockdown itself managed to help and ensure that we don’t get infected and throughout that time people were staying home and there was less interaction.
READ: COVID-19 vaccine myths debunked
“However, after the lockdown, when we released back to level 1, one of the main contributing factors was that people get to relax the regulations amongst themselves; they were not social distancing, [and] were partying. There was also not following of washing hands. There was no wearing of masks as well, restaurants were opened,” says the Doctor.
To date, at least 37,000 have died from the virus.
The most common symptoms are:
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Tiredness
- Aches and pains
- Sore throat
- Diarrhoea
- Conjunctivitis
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- A rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes.
READ: COVID-19: At what age should children wear masks?
Serious symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Chest pain or pressure
- Loss of speech or movement.
Doctor Makhomisane says: “When patients say that they are experiencing shortness of breath and they are home and they’re already on treatment from their Doctor, it is quiet important that if they experience shortness of breath they should inform their Doctor quite quickly so that the Doctor can be able to assess how severe the shortness of breath is and whether they need to be admitted.”
“Generally, when they start experiencing severe shortness of breath, it definitely means that person has to be in hospital and they have to now receive oxygen in hospital as well,” she adds.
“There have been patients who have reported that they do steaming with water at home to try and open up their lungs and their nose. There is no scientific evidence that indicates that that works but a few patients have indicated that it has made a difference with them but also it does not do any harm scientifically as well," concludes the doctor.
Image courtesy of iStock/ @Wavebreakmedia