How Severe Are Your Covid-19 Symptoms?
When it comes to COVID-19, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and many other countries within the Southeast Asian region are experiencing sharp spikes in COVID-19 cases. By categorizing the severity of the symptoms of COVID-19, we hope you’ll have a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
With new hybrid COVID-19 variants being detected all across Southeast Asia, countries in the region are once again on their toes. With the combo of the Indian COVID-19 variant and the UK variant (accurate at the point of publication) being detected everywhere from Vietnam to Australia, countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.
The current variants ripping through the world now includes:
B.1.1.7 Variants - Alpha (UK/Kent)
B.1.351 Variants - Beta (South Africa)
P.1 Variants - Gamma (Brazil)
B.1.617.2 Variants - Delta (India)
The region was largely spared from an outright outbreak for most of 2020, the new outbreak could spell a change in procedures.
People are weary and we understand the exhaustion of not just everyday people but also the fatigue faced by the frontline workers who are fervently fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic in a race that seems endless at this point.
On the part of everyone anxious and worried whether they should engage in a home visit COVID test, this could help you better understand the symptoms of COVID-19.
If you're wondering when to do a COVID-19 test, here's a breakdown of the severity of COVID-19 infections into its top 5 categories.
1) Mild COVID-19 Infection Asymptomatic
At this point, you’re asymptomatic but may have come into contact with people who are also asymptomatic. While the majority of people who contract the COVID-19 virus can experience mild symptoms, precaution must be taken.
The virus could have been spread to approximately 3 other people (the figure depends on the infectivity rate in your country, region, state, or city) whom you may have come into contact with before testing positive for COVID-19.
Take note that if someone aged 65 or older contracts the virus from someone with mild COVID-19 conditions, the mortality rate is around 10%.
2) Mild COVID-19 Disease With Symptoms
After conducting your COVID-19 test whether in Malaysia or Singapore and it comes up positive, be even more mindful than before because you would be symptomatic with the following:
Flu-like symptoms
Upper respiratory tract (URT) symptoms like pharyngeal congestion
Sore throat
Dry cough
This calls for self-isolation from everyone which includes your family members who are living under the same roof. When you must be around other people or animals, wear a mask (or double-layer mask) unless you have trouble breathing with them on.
In which case, cover your mouth and nose whenever you cough or sneeze and always do it as far away as possible from others in the opposite direction.
Even during self-isolation or quarantine, maintain a distance of at least 1m from each other which will help protect them from contracting the COVID-19 virus.
3) Moderate COVID-19, Symptomatic
If your symptoms are slightly more severe, you will experience:
Pneumonia
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Muscle aches and pains (Myalgia)
Loss of smell and/or taste
Laboured breathing
Increased respiratory rate with no hypoxemia (low level of oxygen in the blood)
When your COVID-19 test comes back positive and exhibiting the above symptoms, you will be advised to admit yourself into a hospital, be it a government or a private one. This means prepping things ahead of time for the quarantine, stocking supplies for your loved ones at home, listing emergency contacts, planning regular updates/communications with family, friends, co-workers, and your boss. Your focus should now be full recovery.
If you’re quarantining at home, avoid sharing utensils like dishes, drinking glasses, towels, clothing, and bedding with others in your household. After using the items, including those in the bathroom, keep them separate or wash them thoroughly with soap and water, or use the dishwasher.
All high-touch surfaces in your ‘sick room’ and bathroom have to be cleaned and disinfected regularly. Someone else in the household can clean and disinfect the surfaces in the common areas.
If you’re not in the position to do so yourself, a caregiver or professional should be called in to do the disinfecting on an as-needed basis.
4) Severe COVID-19 Disease, Symptomatic
When you’re displaying and experiencing the following symptoms, you must be closely monitored by your doctors in a hospital.
Pneumonia
Require supplemental oxygen OR increasing requirement from baseline without the need for ventilator support
Abnormally rapid and laboured breathing (Tachypnoea)
Have low levels of oxygen in your blood (Hypoxemia) (Sp02)
Central nervous system effects like lethargy, dizziness, decreasing level of consciousness, or seizure
Gastrointestinal effect like dehydration, loss of appetite, difficulty in feeding, raised liver enzymes
Raised Creatine Kinase like slurred speech, loss of vision, muscle aches and pains, body stiffness, paralysis, sudden numbness on one side of the body
Raised Troponin level; could indicate damage to the heart because troponin is sent into the bloodstream when the heart is in distress
It is not advisable to wait until these symptoms are present before either calling a doctor or checking into a government hospital for a COVID-19 test.
If you’re anxious and worried about experiencing any of the above symptoms, give our house call doctors a call to see if you need either a follow-up, a doctor home consultation, or be monitored in a hospital.
Because many hospitals in both Singapore and Malaysia are already clogged up with patients, it is best to not wait for too long or have your appointment canceled.
To ease your worries, you can always speak to a doctor over the phone or app. If you already have an appointment booked with your doctor, be it at home or in a hospital, inform the medical practitioner about your symptoms before your visit. Your doctor will do the necessary to protect themselves and other patients.
5) Critical COVID-19 Illness, with Symptoms
You will be requiring close monitoring in an Intensive Care Unit or High Dependency Ward because of the severity and possibly-critical symptoms you could be coming up against. Some of the symptoms include:
Increased need for non-invasive or invasive ventilation
Sepsis
Multi-organ failure
Worsening clinical disease sepsis
Respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation or Acute Respiratory Distress (ARDS)
Persistent hypoxemia
Septic shock
Myocardial injury, heart failure, liver injury, coagulation dysfunction, or kidney failure
Without question, patients who display severe symptoms of COVID-19 infection will need to be monitored closely by doctors and nurses around the clock. Most patients would need to check into a hospital or be in close contact with their doctors at this point.
We strongly advise our customers to keep emergency numbers and doctors’ contacts handy at all times and share the information with close contacts, family, and friends.
Using Speedoc Teleconsultation and On-Site COVID-19 Swab Tests
We understand all too well the feeling of uncertainty and worry you’re facing during this pandemic and our doctors and nurses are ever ready to come to your aid when you need help, assistance, or advice. For more information about what to do when you’re sick, please visit the CDC website or get in touch with those who can advise you on your next course of action.
Speaking to a doctor using teleconsultation can also provide you with peace of mind. This can be done before you drive yourself to a hospital for a COVID-19 swab test.
So, if you’re wondering where you can do COVID-19 test in Singapore or Malaysia, the answer is “Yes, the test can be done right there in the comfort of your own home while under the Circuit Breaker or lockdown."
Download the Speedoc app right now to get started or, alternatively, call us at +6011 4166 1178 or email us at contact.my@speedoc.com and we will advise you on your next best course of action.
