How to recover from a virus infection 3 things you need to do

Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. He’s written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Chris has written for The New York Times and Reader’s Digest, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami’s NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read nearly one billion times—and that’s just here at How-To Geek. Read more.

If your computer becomes infected with a virus or another piece of malware, removing the malware from your computer is only the first step. There’s more you need to do to ensure you’re secure.

Note that not every antivirus alert is an actual infection. If your antivirus program catches a virus before it ever gets a chance to run on your computer, you’re safe. If it catches the malware later, you have a bigger problem.

Change Your Passwords

You’ve probably used your computer to log into your email, online banking websites, and other important accounts. Assuming you had malware on your computer, the malware could have logged your passwords and uploaded them to a malicious third party. With just your email account, the third party could reset your passwords on other websites and gain access to almost any of your online accounts.

To prevent this, you’ll want to change the passwords for your important accounts — email, online banking, and whatever other important accounts you’ve logged into from the infected computer. You should probably use another computer that you know is clean to change the passwords, just to be safe.

When changing your passwords, consider using a password manager to keep track of strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication to prevent people from logging into your important accounts even if they know your password. This will help protect you in the future.

Ensure the Malware Is Actually Removed

Once malware gets access to your computer and starts running, it has the ability to do many more nasty things to your computer. For example, some malware may install rootkit software and attempt to hide itself from the system. Many types of Trojans also “open the floodgates” after they’re running, downloading many different types of malware from malicious web servers to the local system.

In other words, if your computer was infected, you’ll want to take extra precautions. You shouldn’t assume it’s clean just because your antivirus removed what it found. It’s probably a good idea to scan your computer with multiple antivirus products to ensure maximum detection. You may also want to run a bootable antivirus program, which runs outside of Windows. Such bootable antivirus programs will be able to detect rootkits that hide themselves from Windows and even the software running within Windows. avast! offers the ability to quickly create a bootable CD or USB drive for scanning, as do many other antivirus programs.

You may also want to reinstall Windows (or use the Refresh feature on Windows 8) to get your computer back to a clean state. This is more time-consuming, especially if you don’t have good backups and can’t get back up and running quickly, but this is the only way you can have 100% confidence that your Windows system isn’t infected. It’s all a matter of how paranoid you want to be.

Figure Out How the Malware Arrived

If your computer became infected, the malware must have arrived somehow. You’ll want to examine your computer’s security and your habits to prevent more malware from slipping through in the same way.

Windows is complex. For example, there are over 50 different types of potentially dangerous file extensions that can contain malware to keep track of. We’ve tried to cover many of the most important security practices you should be following, but here are some of the more important questions to ask:

• Are you using an antivirus? – If you don’t have an antivirus installed, you should. If you have Microsoft Security Essentials (known as Windows Defender on Windows 8), you may want to switch to a different antivirus like the free version of avast!. Microsoft’s antivirus product has been doing very poorly in tests.
• Do you have Java installed? – Java is a huge source of security problems. The majority of computers on the Internet have an out-of-date, vulnerable version of Java installed, which would allow malicious websites to install malware on your computer. If you have Java installed, uninstall it. If you actually need Java for something (like Minecraft), at least disable the Java browser plugin. If you’re not sure whether you need Java, you probably don’t.
• Are any browser plugins out-of-date? – Visit Mozilla’s Plugin Check website (yes, it also works in other browsers, not just Firefox) and see if you have any critically vulnerable plugins installed. If you do, ensure you update them — or uninstall them. You probably don’t need older plugins like QuickTime or RealPlayer installed on your computer, although Flash is still widely used.
• Are your web browser and operating system set to automatically update? – You should be installing updates for Windows via Windows Update when they appear. Modern web browsers are set to automatically update, so they should be fine — unless you went out of your way to disable automatic updates. Using out-of-date web browsers and Windows versions is dangerous.
• Are you being careful about what you run? – Watch out when downloading software to ensure you don’t accidentally click sketchy advertisements and download harmful software. Avoid pirated software that may be full of malware. Don’t run programs from email attachments. Be careful about what you run and where you get it from in general.

If you can’t figure out how the malware arrived because everything looks okay, there’s not much more you can do. Just try to follow proper security practices.

You may also want to keep an extra-close eye on your credit card statement for a while if you did any online-shopping recently. As so much malware is now related to organized crime, credit card numbers are a popular target.

Post COVID-19 care: After having recovered from coronavirus infection, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle and also take note of any alarming signals. Here’s everything you need to know.

COVID-19: Eat a nourishing diet in order to recover well from coronavirus

Highlights

• Work towards exercising in order to recover well from coronavirus
• Try not to overexert or overeat
• Take it slow and give your body the time to recover

After COVID-19 infection, most people form adequate antibodies which prevents them from contracting the virus again. Nonetheless, it’s an unknown territory for the medical practitioners across the world, as to how long can that immunity stand. Cases where patients had the novel coronavirus again, have been reported too. More in this way, for individuals who are at a high risk of reinfection are either old or don’t take enough preventive measures to additionally protect their immune system which makes post-COVID care important for them. While the standard laws of staying safe suggest everyone to cover their face with a face mask, wash hands regularly and practice social distancing, a reminder of how to keep with your well-being does not cause any harm.

Post COVID-19 care: Here are 6 things you need to after having recovered from coronavirus infection

1. Exercise consistently: Exercising might be troublesome in case you’re recovering, and your body is weak, however, gradually bringing it to your everyday schedule will make you both physically and mentally healthy.

2. Have a nutritious eating routine: Another fundamental practice is to have nutrient and supplement rich meal regimen to help speeding the recovery. Coronavirus opens the body to a ton of stress and the medicines can likewise debilitate your body. A few patients additionally experience unexplained weight reduction or weight gain. Thus, try to have a well-organized eating regimen loaded with organic products, vegetables, eggs and safe poultry to compensate for the lost appetite. Attempt to have food which is cooked and simple to process for the body. Keep in mind, your body is just barely attempting to return to full power. Try not to overexert or eat undesirable.

Consume a healthy, nourishing diet to recover from COVID-19
Photo Credit: iStock

3. Work on your memory: The virus is known to damage your memory cells. In order to regain the lost attention, cognitive thinking abilities, and memory, invest some of your days’ time in playing puzzles, memory games and activities that you make you think harder. Formulate ways in which you can invigorate the mind. Start with those activities which are feasible, and continuously challenge yourself to build the sharpness. The key is going slowly yet accomplishing something for your brain each day.

4. Pace down: First off, don’t hope to jump back to your normal life routine right after you get back home or test negative for the virus. Henceforth, give yourself enough time to gradually transition into your old everyday practice, taking each day at a time. Keep in mind, you have quite recently battled an illness that severely attacked your immune system and it is smart to get into your old exercises gradually, instead of simply taking a plunge.

5. Focus on alarming signals, if any: Whether it is a pestering headache or an episode of fatigue, it is essential to focus on any noticeable signs that your body isn’t approving the post-COVID situation. Stay in constant touch with your primary care physician if any such issues crop up in the post-recuperation period.

6. Make space for others in your recovery journey: Understand that you do require rest to feel like yourself once you’re COVID-negative. Consequently, look for help at whatever point you need as it will assist you with rationing your energy levels and fight exhaustion. Regardless of whether it is shopping for food or preparing it, acknowledge that your body needs enough opportunity to recover. So, by taking help or involving someone close while you are on your recovery route is rather beneficial for you.

While normally, a COVID-19 patient for the most part takes 3 weeks to recover, new researches have called attention towards those individuals who may have experienced impact on their kidney, lungs and heart, long after they recovered. Other conceivable long-haul effects of COVID-19 are neurological conditions and mental health issues as studies suggest that the infection can likewise attack the brain cells and the nervous system. While the information does not hold much proof, it is still unequivocally encouraged to consistently follow these six practices to keep yourself fit.

(Dr. Ajay Kaul, Chairman and Head Of Department – Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, BLK Super Specialty Hospital)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

When your COVID-19 symptoms were at their worst, you were probably solely focused on the basics: resting, hydrating and monitoring yourself for worsening symptoms.

Now, as your road to recovery becomes clearer and clearer, you may be wondering what your “new normal” will look like once your symptoms subside. Unlike the common illnesses you’re used to, like a cold or the flu, COVID-19 comes with a few extra question marks.

How long will I be contagious? Should I be worried about these lingering symptoms? Does this mean I don’t have to get vaccinated or wear a mask anymore?

Here to help you understand what life looks like after recovering from COVID-19 is Dr. Joshua Septimus, associate professor of clinical medicine and medical director of Houston Methodist Primary Care Group Same Day Clinics.

Don’t leave home while you’re still contagious

A person with COVID-19 is thought to be most contagious in the days immediately leading up to symptom onset (aka, the presymptomatic period) and throughout the first several days of his or her symptoms.

But, it can take several more days for a person’s immune system to actually clear the virus from the body.

“Most studies show that by the end of 10 days of infection, your body has cleared the active virus,” says Dr. Septimus. “A person with COVID-19 is likely no longer contagious after 10 days have passed since testing positive for coronavirus, and 72 hours after resolution of his or her respiratory symptoms and fever,” Dr. Septimus explains.

When it comes to staying home long enough to ensure you’re no longer contagious, be sure to follow the CDC’s isolation guidelines. Completing your isolation, even if you’re asymptomatic or your symptoms are clearing up and you’re feeling better, is imperative to ensure you don’t spread COVID-19 to others.

Some symptoms may last longer than you’d like

COVID-19 comes with a pretty long list of symptoms — the most common being fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.

Both the severity and duration of these symptoms vary from person to person, but some symptoms are more likely to last well into your recovery period.

“Some symptoms of COVID-19 linger longer than others,” says Dr. Septimus. “In particular, fatigue and loss of taste and smell can persist beyond the period of contagion.”

While uncomfortable and/or inconvenient, Dr. Septimus adds that these lingering symptoms aren’t too worrisome for most people.

You still need to get vaccinated or get your booster, wear a mask and social distance

In fact, a recent study found that unvaccinated adults were twice as likely to get reinfected with COVID-19 than those who got vaccinated after they’d recovered from their illness.

“We still know very little about the immune system’s response to this virus, including how long protective immunity may or may not last,” Dr. Septimus warns. “What we do have a clear understanding of is the strong protection that vaccine-induced immunity provides.”

What does this mean for you?

Even after recovering from COVID-19, it’s imperative that you get vaccinated and continue to practice the preventive measures that protect yourself and others from the virus, including social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands regularly.

For those who are vaccinated and experience a breakthrough infection, you’ll still want to get a COVID booster. If you are 16+, it’s recommended that you get your booster once your symptoms resolve and you have met the criteria for ending isolation — and the recommended time has elapsed since your primary series of either Pfizer (5 months), Moderna (6 months) or J&J (2 months). People who received monoclonal antibodies as part of their COVID-19 treatment plan will need to wait 90 days before getting a COVID booster.

“The universal precautions that help prevent the spread of COVID-19 are just that — universal,” Dr. Septimus adds. “We’re all in this together, and we’re all responsible for keeping our community safe. Each and every one of us needs to take these precautions seriously, regardless of whether you’ve already had COVID-19 or not.”

While COVID-19 is a short-lived illness in most people, others experience lingering symptoms, including fatigue, for months after their initial infection. So what should you do if you’re suffering with post-viral fatigue, following COVID-19 or a different virus?

Authored by Abi Millar ·
Reviewed by Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE

10-Nov-20 · 5 mins read

By now, many of us are familiar with the idea of ‘long COVID’ – a lingering post-viral illness that can follow a COVID-19 infection. Most people who contract the coronavirus recover within two to three weeks. However, we now know there’s a subset of patients for whom that’s not the case.

The British Medical Journal defines ‘long COVID’ as “illness in people who have either recovered from COVID-19 but are still reporting lasting effects of the infection or have had the usual symptoms for far longer than would be expected”. While we don’t know exactly how many people this applies to, the tally could be as high as one in 10 of those infected.

According to data from the UK’s COVID-19 symptom app, there are around 300,000 people in the UK who have reported symptoms lasting for more than a month. Over 60,000 (1.5% of those taking part in the study) were still experiencing symptoms after three months.

What is post-viral fatigue?

While many of these ‘long haulers’ only suffer mildly, others experience a debilitating array of symptoms including breathlessness, muscle pain and a persistent cough. One of the most prevalent long-term symptoms is excessive fatigue or exhaustion.

“Post-viral fatigue is completely different to ‘normal’ tiredness. As well as total exhaustion, people with post-viral fatigue feel generally unwell. It is sometimes seen among patients recovering from other viruses, such as the flu or mumps,” explains Dr Sarah Jarvis, Clinical Director of Patient. “Add to this unexplained muscle and joint pain, poor concentration, sore throat, headaches and swollen lymph nodes and it’s hardly surprising it can be extremely debilitating.”

Unfortunately, anybody can be affected by the long-term effects of the coronavirus – whether or not their initial infection was severe.

What causes it?

The trigger for post-viral fatigue seems to be a reaction to the virus itself and the symptoms are very similar, or identical, to those of people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Sleep is non-restorative (you don’t wake feeling at all refreshed), and the tiredness can intensify after very minor mental or physical exertion.

However, while the factors that cause a patient to have ME are sometimes impossible to identify, post-viral fatigue always manifests after suffering from a virus. Certain viruses, such as coronavirus, rubella and HIV, are more likely to cause post-viral fatigue than others.

Jarvis points out “It’s possible that many more or possibly even all cases of CFS/ME are also caused by the body’s reaction to a viral infection, but the virus hasn’t been identified.”

We don’t fully understand why post-viral fatigue might occur. However, it may have something to do with the body’s immune response to the initial infection. When you are fighting off a virus, the immune system releases chemicals called cytokines, which promote inflammation and cause many of the classic symptoms of viral infection (eg, tiredness, aches and pains, malaise).

This is part of its frontline attack on the invading virus, and normally it stops once the virus itself has been dealt with. But recent studies suggest that in some cases, levels of cytokines fail to return to normal, causing ongoing symptoms.

“Other reasons for post-viral fatigue may include inflammation of the nervous tissues, or an individual’s own unusual response to the virus which has remained dormant within their body for some time,” says Jarvis.

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How to alleviate symptoms

So what should you do if you’re suffering from post-viral fatigue? Jarvis says that while there are no precise treatments, there are many things you can do to ease your symptoms and aid your recovery.

“Taking over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol may help ease any lingering pain. By managing pain, you may also be able to improve the quantity and quality of your sleep at night, thereby reducing fatigue throughout the day,” she says. “Going to bed at the same time each night and setting your alarm for the same time each morning will help your body slowly ease into a sleeping schedule.”

She warns that, while resting throughout the day is important, too much rest can actually cause sufferers to feel more fatigued. It’s sensible to take small, frequent naps during the day, if you feel exhausted, rather than sleeping for several hours at a time.

For many conditions, including depression and cancer-related tiredness, exercise can actually improve tiredness. However, if you have post-viral fatigue it is important to take things very gently – as we’ve heard, in some people even minor physical exertion can cause rebound worsening of fatigue.

What to do if you’re worried

Recovery from post-viral fatigue can vary a lot from one person to the next. Some people are back to normal within a month or two, while others experience lingering symptoms for years. However, there is some evidence to suggest that getting an early diagnosis may improve recovery.

If you’re concerned you may be suffering with ‘long COVID’, or that you’ve developed an illness similar to CFS/ME, it’s important to speak with your doctor as soon as possible. They can investigate further and, if necessary, refer you to specialist services. The NHS has recently set up the Your COVID Recovery programme, but while there is extensive advice on their website, there are as yet few clinics where tailored treatment can be offered. In addition, some patient groups have criticised the site for setting unrealistic targets for exercise and activity.

However, the number of NHS clinics is gradually increasing and they may be able to provide a more tailored approach to recovery than the more general advice on the Your Covid Recovery website.

COVID-19 cases are consistently rising nationwide, with an average of more than 100,000 new cases recorded daily for the first time since February. (Although, experts say, many new cases are now diagnosed with at-home tests, whose results are not reported, so the true number of infections is likely higher.) The culprit? A new dominant subvariant of the coronavirus. Here’s what you need to know about it. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID .

What Is The New COVID Subvariant?

The COVID subvariant BA.2.12.1 now accounts for 58 percent of the U.S., the CDC says. Here’s what experts know about it:

• It’s more contagious than previous variants
• Reinfections are more likely
• It doesn’t seem to cause more serious illness
• It evolved from the subvariant BA.2, which itself evolved from the original Omicron and has been the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S. since March

How to Stay Safe From the New Variant

The CDC officially recommends that people in areas with “medium to high” community transmission wear a face mask in public. “I feel that very strongly, that in crowded indoor spaces, in places with high transmission, people should be doing that,” said Dr. Ashish K. Jha, the White House COVID-19 coordinator on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

And vaccinations continue to be important. “What we know is vaccines continue to provide a high level of protection against people getting seriously ill,” said Jha. Late last week, the CDC said that all people 50 or older should get a second booster shot if at least four months have passed since their first booster.

Symptoms of BA.2.12.1

The symptoms of BA.2.12.1 are similar to those reported with other variants. They include sneezing, stuffy nose, body aches, cough, sore throat, and fatigue. Researchers with the ZOE COVID Symptoms Study say they’re getting anecdotal reports of more runny noses and fatigue.

Officially, the CDC says COVID symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

How to Stay Safe Out There

Follow the fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated 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 .

TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Last updated on – Aug 18, 2020, 14:50 IST

01 /9 ​Post-COVID care: 7 things you MUST do after recovering from coronavirus

With 22,057,685 coronavirus cases across the globe and 7, 77,535 fatalities, the pandemic is still raging in many parts of the world. Even as doctors and medical experts across the globe continue to learn more about the novel coronavirus with every passing day, there is still no clear answer to the long term implications of COVID-19. It has been more than 8 months since the novel coronavirus first erupted in China and since then it has been established that the disease attacks the entire body. As COVID-19 is a novel disease and vastly different from a regular viral fever, there are not enough studies which underline the long-term effects of the disease.

02 /9 7 ways you need to take care of yourself after testing negative for COVID-19.

However, emerging pieces of evidence do point out that those who recover from COVID-19 may face several long-term issues including shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches and confusion. While on an average, a COVID-19 patient usually recovers in 3 weeks, studies have pointed out that people may suffer from kidney, lungs and heart ailments post-recovery as well. Other possible long-term impacts of COVID-19 include neurological conditions and mental health issues as research shows that the disease can also attack the brain and central nervous system. While the data is still limited and non-conclusive, it is still strongly advised to regularly monitor your symptoms post-recovery to look for any warning signs. We are also listing down 7 ways you need to take care of yourself after testing negative for COVID-19.

03 /9 ​Give yourself some time

For starters, do not expect to bounce back to your previous life as soon as you get back home or test negative for the disease. Hence, give yourself some time to slowly adjust to your old routine, taking one day at a time. Remember, you have just fought a ravaging illness and it is better to get into your old activities gradually, rather than just diving straight in.

04 /9 Try puzzles or memory exercises

In order to gradually get back your memory and concentration levels on track, invest some time daily in playing puzzles, memory games and exercises to rack your brain. The key is taking it slow, yet doing something for your mind every day.

05 /9 ​Pay attention to warning signs and symptoms

Whether it is a nagging headache or a bout of breathlessness, it is important to pay attention to any warning signs that your body is not doing okay. Always inform your doctor if any such issues crop up, post-recovery.

06 /9 ​Revise your medications

If you have any chronic illness and you take regular medication for the same, it is strongly advised to monitor your symptoms closely (checking blood pressure, sugar levels etc,) and consult your healthcare provider if the dosage needs revision.

07 /9 Remember, you are not IMMUNE to coronavirus

While contracting COVID-19 may have given your body a certain degree of immunity from the disease, emerging studies have suggested that it is most likely temporary. Hence, continue wearing face covers or face masks in public places and practise social distancing.

08 /9 ​Save your energy

As you are on a road to recovery, it is important to prioritise the most important tasks and leave everything else. Preserve your energy as much as possible and postpone unnecessary tasks for a later date.

09 /9 Ask for help

Understand that you do need proper care and rest to feel like yourself again. Hence, seek help whenever you need as it will help you conserve your energy and battle fatigue. Whether it is grocery shopping or cooking, accept the fact that your body needs enough time to recover right now and adjust your expectations with yourself accordingly.

(This article was updated on December 29, 2021)

If you’ve just been diagnosed with COVID-19, you probably have a lot of questions, including, “What’s next?”

Here’s what to expect as you recover from COVID-19, as well what you need to know once you’ve recovered.

What to expect as you recover from COVID-19

The COVID-19 recovery process, including how quickly you can expect to recover, depends on whether you have a mild, moderate or severe case of the illness.

Recovering from mild COVID-19 illness

Dr. Septimus says that about 80% of people who are infected with the new coronavirus will either experience mild symptoms or be completely asymptomatic.

“We expect that someone with mild symptoms will recover within a week to 10 days,” says Dr. Septimus. “If you’re experiencing mild illness, you should expect the recovery process to be similar to other significant respiratory viral infections, such as the flu.”

Recovering from moderate COVID-19 illness

For people who experience more acute or alarming COVID-19 symptoms — such as symptoms that warrant a visit to an ER or even hospitalization, in some cases — the recovery process is more lengthy than for those with milder symptoms.

“While recovering from a moderate case of COVID-19, it’s likely you can expect to experience prolonged fatigue, cough and even shortness of breath,” explains Dr. Septimus. “And these prolonged symptoms can go on for several weeks.”

Recovering from severe COVID-19 illness

It can take anywhere from several weeks to months to recover from severe COVID-19 illness, and you may be in the intensive care unit and possibly even on a ventilator.

The illness becomes more severe in some people, when either COVID pneumonia develops or the immune system unleashes a very strong “cytokine storm” in an effort to eliminate the virus. This powerful inflammatory response causes what’s called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), leading to lung tissue damage and possibly even respiratory failure.

“If you’re recovering from a severe case of COVID-19, it can take some time for your strength and pulmonary function to return back to normal,” says Dr. Septimus. “If you spend time on a ventilator, it will take some time to regain your independence to the point where you can go home — and how much time just depends on how much strength you lost and how much damage has been done to your lungs.”

You still need to complete your isolation

Once your symptoms have subsided and even if you never develop symptoms at all, be sure to follow the guidelines for isolation. Do not leave isolation until you meet their criteria.

“There’s evidence that even someone who’s 72 hours symptom-free may still continue to shed small volumes of the virus via respiratory droplets — although it’s unclear exactly how long,” warns Dr. Septimus. “In addition, you are likely to continue shedding the virus in your stool for about one to two weeks.”

This means that even after you’ve recovered, you should consider wearing a mask while out in public or at home if you share it with other people. You should also disinfect commonly touched bathroom surfaces, including the flusher and faucet handle, after using the restroom and washing your hands with soap and water.

Yes, you can get reinfected with COVID-19

In fact, a recent study found that unvaccinated adults were twice as likely to get reinfected with COVID-19 than those who got vaccinated after they’d recovered from their illness.

There can be long-term side effects of COVID-19

Similar to anyone recovering from a severe inflammatory response within his or her lungs, a severe case of COVID-19 that’s characterized by ARDS has the potential to cause long-term lung damage.

“In addition, evidence is emerging that some people are prone to developing cardiomyopathy several weeks after recovering from COVID-19,” warns Dr. Septimus. “It’s one of the biggest things we worry about in people who seemed to have made a full recovery.”

Some people also experience lingering effects of COVID-19, termed post-COVID syndrome and sometimes called long COVID.

Your antibody-rich plasma may be able to help those currently fighting COVID-19

In the absence of a vaccine or effective treatment option specific to COVID-19, physician-scientists at Houston Methodist are using an experimental type of blood-transfusion therapy, called convalescent plasma therapy, to help critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Convalescent plasma therapy uses blood plasma from people who’ve recovered from COVID-19 and transfuses it into people who are currently fighting the disease. The hope is that a recovered individual’s plasma contains powerful antibodies that can help another person fight COVID-19 more effectively.

“In a particularly dire situation in which a critically ill patient looks like he or she may not make it, someone’s willingness to donate plasma could potentially save a life,” Dr. Septimus says. “There’s no guarantee that convalescent plasma therapy will work, since this is still an experimental therapy, but it’s worth a shot.”

Next Steps:

• If you have had COVID-19 and are interested in helping others by donating your plasma, please call 346.238.4360 or learn more here. Please note that while you don’t have to be a Houston Methodist patient to donate, you must have a documented, positive COVID-19 test.

This article was updated on August 11, 2021 to reflect the current state of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the top symptoms of COVID-19 is a cough that won’t quit. Here’s why you’re hacking away and how to get some relief.

How to Cope With a COVID-19 Cough

When Cynthia Searight started feeling under the weather a few days before Christmas 2021, she wasn’t surprised to learn she had COVID-19. “I’d been at a dinner party earlier in the week with someone who later tested positive,” says the Connecticut-based creative director.

Perhaps because she was vaccinated and boosted, her initial symptoms were relatively mild — a slight cough and scratchy throat. “Then, almost overnight, I developed a dry, painful cough that got progressively worse,” says Searight. It got so bad that her internist gave her a prescription for a cough suppressant with codeine so she could sleep.

For four days, she was knocked out by a sore throat that became severe, headache, and that hacking cough.

Weeks later, “I’m still coughing intermittently at night,” she says.

A cough can be a hallmark of many conditions such as a cold, the flu, pneumonia, undiagnosed asthma, lung disease like COPD, even postnasal drip and acid reflux, says Donna Klitzman, MD, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Pulmonary Intensive Care Specialists of New Jersey in East Brunswick.

“Not only does coughing disrupt sleep, but it makes it difficult to go out in public, because everyone thinks you have COVID-19,” Dr Klitzman adds.

What if everyone’s right?

How Common Is a COVID-19 Cough?

Fifty to 70 percent of people with symptomatic COVID-19 will develop a dry cough, according to William Checkley, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.

The cough tends to come on quickly, says Dr. Checkley, beginning about a day or so after the onset of illness, but it doesn’t typically subside quickly, especially for people who aren’t vaccinated. An April 2021 study in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine found that cough lasts an average of 19 days for most people with COVID-19 and up to four weeks in about 5 percent of patients.

Some people with long COVID might find themselves coughing for months, “but we need to get more and better data to really understand the numbers,” says Checkley.

The COVID-19 Cough and Omicron

With the arrival of omicron even more of us are coughing: An investigation out of Norway published in December 2021 in the journal Eurosurveillance, looking at a group of mostly vaccinated people who became infected by omicron at a company Christmas party, found that 83 percent reported having a cough.

Omicron appears to replicate rapidly in the bronchi, the two large tubes that bring air from the windpipe to the lungs. A December 2021 study from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at The University of Hong Kong (which has not yet been peer-reviewed) reported that omicron multiplies in the airways 70 times faster than delta and the original virus.

Yet the researchers found that omicron does not infect the lungs as much as earlier variants do, suggesting that it is less likely to cause severe disease.

Is a COVID-19 Cough Different From Other Kinds of Coughs?

Ubiquitous as it may be, a COVID-19 cough is not unique. “A COVID-19 cough is similar to the cough produced from other viral or bacterial pneumonias,” says Checkley.

Klitzman agrees that you can’t diagnose a patient just by listening to them cough. She says, “I’ve had patients who come in with severe symptoms and coughing, and when you test them, they have a rhinovirus,” the main cause of the common cold.

But for people who land in the hospital with COVID-19 — and these days, that usually means patients who have not been vaccinated — a painful, dry cough accompanied by lower-than-normal oxygen levels (hypoxia) is a sign of trouble.

“Hospitalized COVID-19 patients just can’t take a deep breath without coughing,” Klitzman observes.

What Causes Coughing

As unsettling as it is to deal with any kind of cough, this protective reflex is necessary for bouncing back from an infection. “You don’t want to suppress coughing too much because if there are secretions, like mucus, you have to be able to clear them out,” says Klitzman. “The major reason older people with pneumonia die is that they decline and become too weak to even cough and clear their lungs.”

All of us have sensory nerves in the epithelium, the thin layer of tissue that forms the outer lining of body parts ranging from the eardrums, heart, and stomach to the larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), and bronchi, explains Checkley.

Normally, when sensory nerves detect a virus or other foreign invader, they activate cough sensors in the medulla region of the brain, which in turn trigger the muscles around the respiratory tract to eject the unwanted visitor.

“But it’s also possible that the COVID-19 virus may directly or indirectly target the sensory nerves themselves, as a part of the infection,” says Checkley, adding that this theory needs further study.

How to Prevent Coughs From Spreading the Coronavirus

As most of us know by now, it’s crucial to cover a COVID-19 cough with a face mask, a tissue, or a bent elbow to reduce the spread of infectious respiratory droplets and aerosols.

A January 2022 report in the physics journal AIP Advances that studied how droplets are dispersed via coughing also recommends lowering your head to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others.

If your cough hangs on even after you’re past the worse of the acute infection, could you still be spreading COVID-19? “The risk of transmissibility drops significantly after 10 days,” says Checkley. “But while you don’t have to stay isolated at home if you’re coughing, it’s prudent — and polite — to continue wearing a mask and to social distance.”

How to Calm That Cough Down

Fortunately, there are things you can do to treat a cough while you recover from COVID-19 at home. “It can help to elevate yourself when sleeping by slipping a wedge under your pillow,” says Klitzman.

She adds, “Over-the-counter cough suppressants — antitussives — taken before bed can be very helpful. So can cough suppressants with codeine. They make you sleepy, so are good to use at night, but you don’t want to become reliant on that.”

For Searight, who is off prescription cough medicine, drinking lots of herbal tea and taking lozenges help, she says.

Be sure to let your physician know if you have a cough that won’t quit or another stubborn COVID-19 issue. “This can affect your quality of life,” says Klitzman.

Klitzman also points out that the best way to ease a symptom of any illness is to treat the underlying disease. If you have mild or moderate COVID-19 and are at high risk for becoming severely ill, antiviral pills and certain monoclonal antibody infusions may help you heal — and that means less coughing.

Nasal congestion and swelling, facial pressure, pain, fever, too much mucus. Ugh. It’s probably another sinus infection. Or is it? And is your infection caused by a virus or bacteria — and does it really matter?

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It does, says otolaryngologist Raj Sindwani, MD. Doctors treat viral and bacterial sinus infections very differently. Here’s what you need to know about both kinds of infections and how to treat them.

Viral or bacterial?

Sinusitis happens when your sinuses — the normally air-filled pockets in your face — become inflamed and blocked. Most sinus infections are viral. How can you tell whether your infection is viral or bacterial based on your symptoms?

“You can’t,” says Dr. Sindwani.

“Symptoms like bad breath, yellow or green mucus, fever and headache are not reliable signs of a bacterial infection,” he says. “They can occur with viral infections, too. Even your doctor can’t tell if your infection is viral or bacterial based solely on symptoms or an exam.”

Instead, your doctor looks largely at symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. A viral sinus infection will usually start to improve after five to seven days. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days.

Some steps you can take

Whether your sinus infection turns out to be viral or bacterial, you can help to ease your symptoms early on with supportive sinus care:

1. Use saline spray two to three times per day in each nostril.
2. Use a nasal decongestant such as Afrin ® , but not longer than three days.
3. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid per day.
4. Get plenty of rest.
5. Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help relieve the swelling of your sinuses.

If your symptoms aren’t improving after one week, it’s important to see your doctor. If a bacterial infection is suspected, you’ll probably need to take an antibiotic to clear up the infection and prevent further complications.

“If your infections occur more frequently, and your doctor really wants to establish if they are bacterial or viral, your Otolaryngologist or ear, nose and throat doctor can sample the snot from your nose when you’re infected and send it to a laboratory to know for sure.

Note: Antibiotics won’t help a viral infection, and taking an antibiotic unnecessarily can do more harm than good. You risk possible side effects and increase your chances of developing antibiotic resistance, which can make future infections harder to treat, says Dr. Sindwani. So it’s important to wait and see how long your symptoms last.

What to do for chronic sinusitis

If you’re suffering from chronic sinusitis (nasal congestion, drainage, facial pain/pressure, and a decreased sense of smell lasting 12 weeks or longer) or you are getting frequent sinus infections you should see your doctor, says Dr. Sindwani.

Your doctor will swab your nose to collect mucus. Culturing it in a laboratory will reveal which type of bacteria is causing the infection so the right antibiotic can be prescribed.

Treat early sinus infection symptoms with rest, hydration and over-the-counter sprays and decongestants. But don’t look for an antibiotic unless your illness extends beyond a week, he says. Then check in with your doctor for a prescription and let him or her know if your condition worsens.

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If you’ve battled a gastrointestinal (GI) infection before, you know it’s not pleasant. But typically symptoms don’t last longer than a few days.

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However, in some cases, the effects linger for weeks or months — even after a person is no longer vomiting or having severe symptoms after a bad bout with a virus or food poisoning. Some patients just can’t seem to get back to a normal GI rhythm or bowel function.

This condition is known as post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Gastroenterologist Brian Kirsh, MD, says post-infectious IBS is fairly common — and you can take steps to diagnose and treat it.

What symptoms to watch for

“Post-infectious IBS is a constellation of symptoms that resemble irritable bowel syndrome,” Dr. Kirsh says.

Symptoms are usually less severe than the original infection and may include:

• Abdominal cramping.
• Diarrhea.
• Nausea.
• In some cases, constipation.

“Over time people do tend to get better,” he says. “For most of them, this is not going to be lifelong IBS.”

The symptoms of post-infectious IBS develop after an infectious GI bug such as viral gastroenteritis or a bacterial infection like E. coli or Salmonella or even C. difficile. Patients may suspect this condition if they had a documented GI infection that resolved, but their digestive function won’t go back to normal. “That should tip them off that they should seek out help.”

How long post-infectious IBS lasts

Symptoms last for weeks, months or sometimes even a year. Why it tends to linger is unclear, Dr. Kirsh says.

“I’m not sure anyone can answer that,” he says. “There are things we just don’t know about why certain things cause irritability to certain parts of the body.”

One theory suggests that the original GI infection results in some change in a person’s normal bacterial count in their small bowel. “That may have some lingering impact on symptoms.”

What you eat matters

Altering your diet can help relieve symptoms of post-infectious IBS. But keep in mind dietary remedies vary by patient.

For example, some people may find benefits from limiting wheat products. Others may need to stop eating dairy.

Research has shown that a low-FODMAP diet works well for most IBS symptoms. The diet recommends eliminating certain sugars that are difficult to digest. For example, a person on a low-FODMAP diet would avoid fruits such as apples, apricots, cherries and pears. Instead, they’d eat fruits like bananas, grapes and cantaloupe.

Overall, though, there’s no one-diet solution for everyone. So work with your doctor to find the best option for you.

Supplements and medications may help

If you have post-infectious IBS, your doctor may recommend probiotics. These supplements help repopulate the small intestine with healthy flora, Dr. Kirsh says.

A doctor might also prescribe antispasmodics or recommend antidiarrheal medications, many of which are available over the counter.

When testing is beneficial

Depending on the severity of the case, a doctor might order a blood test. This test can help make sure a person with post-infectious IBS isn’t anemic and doesn’t have an elevated white blood cell count. Patients may also get their electrolytes tested to make sure they’re not dehydrated.

Depending on your symptoms, some patients may undergo further testing for celiac disease or receive an endoscopy or colonoscopy, too.

Most people recover

Provided you don’t have a chronic condition such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, take this to heart: Post-infectious IBS shouldn’t last forever.

“Over time people do tend to get better,” Dr. Kirsh says. “For most of them, this is not going to be lifelong IBS.”

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People who test positive for Covid-19 with a lateral flow test no longer need to take a PCR test to confirm their coronavirus status.

This change came after the rise of Omicron in December cases saw a high number of positive lateral flow tests and Brits struggling to access PCRs.

However, this is causing some confusion for travel that requires a negative test or proof that you are currently Covid free.

When individuals take a PCR test they can still show a positive result test up to 90 days of having it. Previously, they could show their original PCR test result as proof of the earlier infection – and their current safety to travel.

But as PCR tests are no longer required at the moment of initial infection, how do you prove you’ve already had and got over Covid when you need to?

What are the rules around PCR and travel?

Boris Johnson has removed pre-departure Covid tests and requirements for PCR tests for those who are fully-vaccinated or under 18 on the UK side.

However, Covid restrictions on point on entry abroad will differ depending on which country you’re travelling to. Some countries require you to have a negative PCR test no longer than 72 hours before arrival or a vaccine certificate. Other countries will require you to take a PCR test before leaving the country.

Related.

5 Things You Need To Know Before You Book A Holiday Right Now

How long after Covid will you rest positive on a PCR?

A PCR tests identifies the presence of coronavirus genetic material in a sample but doesn’t show if someone is currently infectious. A person who has tasted positive for Covid-19 can still produce a positive test within 90 days.

A lateral flow test measures if antigens are present in a sample. They will only show a positive result when a sizeable amount of the virus is present.

So, what does this mean for travel?

Laura Jackson from ABTA says the first thing we should do before travelling is check the entry requirements on the UK government website.

“Some countries will say, regardless of your vaccination status, that you need to show proof of a PCR test whereas others could ask for lateral flow,” she says.

“For fully vaccinated travellers, generally there’s more likelihood that you won’t need to take test or that the testing requirements will be reduced in some way.”

Jackson continues: “Some destinations will accept proof of recovery for entry and that’s probably a better option for someone who is unvaccinated than fully vaccinated, because if you’re fully vaccinated, people most likely be able to use your proof of vaccination rather than proof of recovery.”

Do you need Covid travel insurance?

There are insurance policies that include different types of cover for coronavirus, including if you test positive before you travel. So read the policy details carefully to ensure it has what you’re looking for. We have lots of advice on travel insurance on the ABTA website at says Jackson.

Can you travel without a PCR test?

Jackson says it depends on individual circumstances, “so, where you want to go and whether or not you’re fully vaccinated. But there are scenarios where that is possible. If you’re fully vaccinated, you can go to Spain [just] with proof of vaccination but these entry points do change.”

As she stresses: “Every country has set out its own requirements, and they are subject to change depending on what’s happening, either here or there.”

Yet again, the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc in our lives. More than three lakh cases are being reported every day in the country along with a shortage of beds and oxygen. But the doctors say, more than 80 per cent of the COVID-19 patients are recovering at home only with teleconsultations.

Thus, it is advised not to rush to the hospital if you receive a positive report. One must consult with their doctor and then decide if they need to be in-home isolation or need to get hospitalised.

However, after recovering from COVID there is another problem being faced by the patients, which is weakness. Patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms take around two weeks to recover, while patients with moderate and severe infection take around four weeks to recover. But even after recovering from the COVID virus, most people experience weakness in the body. In such a situation, people should take care of basic things like healthy eating and keeping themselves hydrated in order to recover faster.

If you are someone who has recovered from covid or if you have someone in your family who has recovered, here is what you can do to overcome the weakness associated with the coronavirus infection.

Eat a variety of fruits

Make sure to start your day with a plate of fresh fruits like pomegranate, orange, apple and papaya. You can include other fruits of your choice as well.

You can also try drinking fruit juice, which can help in getting rid of the weakness. If possible, you can have raw fruits in the morning and fruit juice during the evening to increase your consumption.

Drink warm milk

Drink warm milk with turmeric before sleeping at night. Milk helps in strengthening the bones and removing the weakness from the body.

Eat a variety of vegetables

Consuming vegetables is essential for the body. One must eat different types of vegetables during their lunch and dinner. One can also drink vegetable juice which includes spinach, carrots, tomatoes, beetroot juice. These are rich in minerals and vitamins, which will make you feel energetic.

Eat protein and antioxidant-rich foods

Eating a protein-rich diet is important for a healthy and speedy recovery. Eat things that are easy to digest so that the weak body does not have to work hard to digest the food.

Steam inhalation
Taking steam with plane water two-three times a day has proven beneficial in treating symptoms like cold, cough and congestion. Performing steam inhalation may help in decreasing the respiratory issues, congestion issues in the nasal passage and airways.

Other things to be kept in mind

Multivitamins

Keep having your multivitamins, vitamin C and zinc tablets as recommended by the doctor. Do not discontinue the medicine only because you have tested COVID-19 negative. Having multivitamins regularly can help in removing the toxins from the body.

Stay hydrated

Though you might not feel like having a lot of water, it’s absolutely important to keep yourself well hydrated. Apart from water, you can also drink coconut water, juices etc.

Don’t put pressure on yourself

Even after your COVID report comes negative, do not put too much work pressure on yourself. Some problems might persist even after a negative report, so walk a little and do not exercise much for a few days.

Keep distance

Even after recovering, keep a check of your oxygen levels and keep your distance from your family members for a few days. Wear a mask at home and rest for at least 10 days after your corona report comes negative.

Perform lung exercises

It’s of utmost importance that you perform lung exercises after recovering from COVID to strengthen your lungs. From simple yogic breathing exercises to blowing candles and using the spirometer, one can choose from various lung strengthening exercises.

Stay positive

You are a warrior and have battled a severe infection. But sometimes, even after recovery, you might feel anxious, depressed or traumatised about what has already happened. To take care of your mental health, make sure to meditate and do things that you like to keep yourself positive.

Antibiotics are like the superheroes of medicine.

Sick with strep throat? Take an antibiotic and – BAM! It’s cured!

In agony with a UTI? Pop a pill and – WHAM! That infection’s knocked out!

But lying in bed with fever and chills due to flu? Unfortunately, no antibiotic can save you from that.

Antibiotics may be the superheroes of the bacterial infection world, but they’re powerless in the land of the virus – no matter how much we wish that weren’t true.

Illnesses can be caused by many types of germs, including bacteria and viruses. And a viral illness can “feel” the same as sickness caused by bacteria, so it’s understandable that a lot of people think if an antibiotic cured one illness, it probably will cure another that feels similar. But medicines don’t quite work like that.

To treat an illness or infection, doctors first have to identify what type of bug is causing your symptoms. Then they can match it with the correct medication to kill it. For sickness caused by bacteria, like strep throat, the right medication is an antibiotic. For a virus, like the flu, an antibiotic is the wrong medication.

Antibiotics destroy bacteria by breaking down the germ’s physical structure, such as by poking holes in the cell wall. But viruses are not built the same way as bacteria. An antibiotic drug cannot poke holes in the cell wall of a virus. In fact, an antibiotic medication won’t have any effect on a virus at all.

So, basically, taking an antibiotic pill for a virus is like treating your home’s termite infestation by sprinkling weed killer around the foundation. The weed killer does a great job of killing weeds, but it won’t kill any termites.

But if antibiotics don’t work against viruses, why are some people with COVID-19 (a viral infection) being given antibiotics as part of their treatment? It’s because the effects of a severe viral infection like COVID-19 can cause bacterial infections to develop in the body. For instance, a severe case of COVID-19 – which can’t be treated with antibiotics – might, in turn, cause excessive mucus production in the lungs that leads to the development of a bacterial pneumonia. This type of pneumonia can be treated effectively antibiotics.

As bacteria-fighters, antibiotics are superheroes, performing miracle cures every day. But don’t call on them to fight viruses – they’ll be powerless to help.

COVID-19 patients can suffer long-term lung and heart damage, but for many, this condition tends to improve over time. © Shutterstock

Researchers have found that lung tissue of patients who suffered severely from Covid-19 shows good recovery in three months in most cases.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori | Published : November 26, 2020 6:17 PM IST

Covid-19 primarily infects the lungs in the affected individuals and damages the alveoli (tiny air sacs) and surrounding tissues. This can lead to an influx of liquid which is mostly inflamed cells and protein, causing pneumonia. As the transfer of oxygen gets interrupted, infected individuals start experiencing symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, COVID-19 pneumonia can turn into acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a progressive type of respiratory failure. People with ARDS may need mechanical ventilation to help them breathe.

There’s been a debate going on among doctors on whether a severe Covid-19 patient’s lungs can fully regain their strength after recovery from the disease. A study from Radboud University in the Netherlands has brought a positive hope for those surviving severe Covid-19. The researchers found that lung tissue of patients who suffered severely from Covid-19 shows good recovery in three months in most cases.

The study results were published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Also Read

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• Heading Towards COVID-19 Fourth Wave? India Reports 24% Jump In Daily Cases
• No Possibility of COVID 4th Wave In Present Situation: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope

Damaged lungs tend heal over time

The study included 124 patients who had recovered from acute Covid-19 infections. They were divided into three categories for the study: the first group included patients who were admitted to the ICU, the second group had patients who were admitted to a nursing ward in the hospital and third group consisted of patients who could stay home but experienced persisting symptoms that eventually warranted a referral from their doctors.

After three months, the patients were examined using CT scan, a lung functional test and more. They found the lung tissue of the patients recovering well. Residual damage in the lung tissue was generally limited and was most often seen in patients who were treated in the ICU, the researcher wrote in their study paper.

They found Covid-19 recovery patterns similar to acute pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

“It is encouraging to see that lung after Covid-19 infections exhibit this level of recovery,” study author Bram van den Borst was quoted as saying.

The good news is that the research team barely found any anomalies in the lungs of these patients.

The most common complaints among the patients after three months were fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pains.

Patients recover faster if they undergo rehabilitation

Earlier in September, a research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2020 reported that COVID-19 patients can suffer long-term lung and heart damage, but for many, this condition tends to improve over time.

For the study, the researchers performed follow-up visits in patients that had recovered from moderate-to-severe COVID-19 infection needing in-hospital treatment. CT scans conducted 6 weeks after discharge showed lung damage in about 88% of these patients. But at 12 weeks, the lung damage reduced to 56%. This improvement suggests the lungs have a mechanism for repairing themselves, the researcher noted.

Another paper presented to the Congress suggested that the sooner COVID-19 patients started a pulmonary rehabilitation programme after coming off ventilators, the better and faster their recovery.

The sooner rehabilitation started and the longer it lasted, the faster and better was the improvement in patients’ walking and breathing capacities and muscle gain, said Yara Al Chikhanie, a PhD student at the Dieulefit Sant clinic for pulmonary rehabilitation and the Hp2 Lab at the Grenoble Alps University, France.

The researcher suggested that doctors should start rehabilitation as soon as possible.

Tested positive for coronavirus? Here are some foods that you must add to your diet to help your body recover faster from the deadly virus infection.

Written by Satata Karmakar | Published : July 29, 2021 8:46 PM IST

• Coronavirus
• Coronavirus Diet
• Covid Diet
• Diet For Coronavirus

What You Eat DOES Matter!

Have you tested positive for coronavirus and quarantining at home? You must know that this is the time when you should include more healthy and nutritious foods to your diet. When we say healthy and nutritious we mean something that can help your body recoup the virus infection. You all already know how badly coronavirus affects each organ of your body and recuperating from this life-threatening disease is not easy. However, you can manage the condition and support your body during the recovery period by simply adding these foods.

Increase Your Protein Intake

What does protein do to your body? It actually helps your body re-build all the muscles and also repairs the damaged cells. Therefore, you must add more and more proteins to your plate. Here are some food suggestions from the experts: fish, lean meat, bananas, nuts and seeds, legumes, eggs, and pulses. These protein-rich foods are also a great source of omega 3 fatty acids which also support your body’s metabolism and improves gut health.

Add Some Nuts To Your Snacks Bowl

Nuts have some amazing health benefits that everyone should know, and especially when you are down with COVID, adding some nuts or whole seeds such as — flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, melon seeds, etc. can help your body get some good calories which may also help in strengthening body’s immune system.

Vegetarian? Add Some Soy Based Foods

One of the best sources of good protein is soya. Someone who is vegetarian can also add soya to their diet and help their body recoup the muscle loss that happens once coronavirus enters the body. Add soya milk (unsweetened), soya beans, etc. to your diet every day as these foods can help in healing and faster recovery post-COVID-19.

Add Some Greens To Your Diet

Apart from adding protein and calories to your diet, when you test positive for coronavirus, never forget to add more greens to your plate. Have more salads such as — lettuce, cucumber, spinach, gourd, beans, capsicum, etc. Also, have these fresh vegetables in the form of boiled or soup as that won’t kill the nutrition of the vegetables. Also, add fresh fruits. Adding fresh fruits and veggies rich in vitamins and important antioxidants can help your body to strengthen its resistance capability to combat deadly virus attacks like COVID-19. Some of the fruits that you can consider adding are lemons, oranges, mangoes, etc.

Now, What Else?

Well, not just what you eat, how much you are eating also matters. Reduce down your salt and sugar intake as they may lead to a spike in sugar levels or blood pressure levels which can hinder the recovery process. Also, have more vitamins in your diet, these can be vitamin C, A, and D. Add less spices, oil to your foods and try to eat more of boiled foods rather than deep-fried ones.

People can safely get booster shots as soon as they recover from breakthrough infections, but some experts suggest waiting a little longer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging all adults eligible for a COVID-19 booster to get one as soon as possible to protect themselves from new variants such as omicron. But if you’ve had a recent breakthrough case of coronavirus, some health experts suggest you might benefit from waiting to get a booster shot.

University of South Florida Health immunologist Michael Teng said people who recently recovered from a breakthrough infection just put their immune system to work. There’s no data to suggest getting a booster shortly after that would be harmful. People can safely get boosters so long as their 10-day isolation period has ended and they no longer have symptoms.

But Teng said there also may not be much to gain by stimulating the immune system again so soon. He suggests most people who recover from breakthroughs wait at least a month or so before getting a booster.

Those who received monoclonal antibody treatment should wait about three months before getting another dose of vaccine.

“You know you’re trying to make your immune system recognize the spike protein that’s encoded in the vaccines, so if the spike protein is made but is immediately blocked by these monoclonal antibodies that are in your system, your immune system won’t have a chance to recognize it again,” he explained.

The CDC also says people who receive monoclonal antibodies need to wait at least 90 days before getting a vaccine, as do kids and adolescents who develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome due to COVID. But as for other people who have breakthrough infections, the agency does not have specific instructions.

“Current evidence about the optimal timing between SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination is insufficient to inform guidance,” the CDC says on its website.

Boosters are still essential to combat the virus

Teng stressed researchers still don’t know how much immunity a breakthrough infection provides on top of the initial vaccination series. Some early studies suggest it could be substantial.

But Teng said everyone will need boosters eventually to ensure the community has all the protection it can get as new variants continue to pose threats.

“You can see omicron increasing quite rapidly so it’s really important, as soon as you’re eligible for that booster, you should get it because the primary series of the vaccine is not enough,” he said.

Data suggests having two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines is only about 30-40% effective at preventing coronavirus infection, but that getting a booster shot brings that rate up to 70-80%. Vaccines are still highly effective at preventing severe disease.

Health experts say people who are older or have chronic health conditions are most in need of boosters, but the CDC is recommending them for everyone ages 18 and older who were last vaccinated at least six months ago.

Find out where you can get a booster in the Tampa Bay area with our vaccination guide.

Andrea Chisolm, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN who has taught at both Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School.

Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health.

If you or your partner have just been diagnosed with human papillomavirus (HPV), you’re certainly not alone. HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection. In fact, it is thought that just about anyone who has had sex has been exposed to HPV.

If you feel stressed about your HPV diagnosis, know there are a few things you can do to help cope with this infection.

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Ellen Lindner / Verywell

This article will explain how HPV is diagnosed and ways to boost your immune system to help your body fight this virus. It will also cover where to find support, as well as how this diagnosis may impact your sex life.

How Is HPV Diagnosed?

There are typically two ways that you can find out that you have HPV. You may be diagnosed with genital warts, which are raised or flat bumps, or you may test positive for HPV on a screening test, called a Pap smear.

What happens next depends on your specific symptoms and screening test. Your healthcare provider will recommend the appropriate treatment or follow-up. Keep in mind that most cases of HPV go away without treatment within two years.

HPV Doctor Discussion Guide

Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.

How Do You Boost Your Immune System to Fight HPV?

There are some things you can do to boost your immune system and help your body clear the virus.

You may also want to speak with your doctor about getting the HPV vaccine. Even if you already have HPV, getting the vaccine can help prevent you from getting other types of it, including ones that can lead to cancer.

Quit Smoking

If you are a current cigarette smoker and you have HPV, you should do your best to quit smoking.

Smoking is thought to decrease your immunity, which impacts your body’s ability to fight off illnesses, including the HPV infection. Those who smoke are also at a higher risk for getting multiple HPV infections.

Decrease Stress

When your body’s stress hormone levels increase, your immune system doesn’t work as well as it should. This means you can’t fight off infections, like HPV, very effectively.

Making changes in your life to reduce your stress level is very important. Activities like yoga, connecting with friends, and meditation can help decrease the effects of stress on your body.

Review Your Diet

There is some disagreement among experts on whether or not diet plays a role in helping your body get rid of HPV.

There is some thought that certain B-complex vitamins are effective in boosting your immune system. These include riboflavin (B2), thiamine (B1), vitamin B12, and folate. Making sure your diet includes foods rich in these B vitamins is certainly not harmful and may be helpful.

How Do You Find Support for HPV?

Being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection can be very stressful, but you should not be embarrassed about having HPV. You might be surprised that once you open up to trusted family or friends about your diagnosis, you will find that many people have dealt with this infection.

Talk with your healthcare provider about local resources for individuals diagnosed with HPV. For online support groups, you can check out the American Sexual Health Association website.

Remember that HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and you are not alone.

Recap

Speak with your doctor or visit the American Sexual Health Association website for resources for individuals diagnosed with HPV.

Does HPV Impact Your Sex Life?

Being diagnosed with HPV is not a fatal blow to your sex life. You may just need to sit out a few weeks if you are being treated for genital warts. Keep in mind having one sexual partner and using protection can help lower your risk of getting another sexually transmitted infection.

Because genital warts are so easily transmitted from skin-to-skin contact, your current sex partner may also want to get checked for them.

Summary

You may find out that you have HPV through a routine Pap smear, or if you are diagnosed with genital warts. While most cases of HPV clear on their own within two years, your doctor may also recommend treatment for your specific symptoms, as well as support resources.

To help boost your immune system so your body can fight HPV, you may consider quitting smoking, decreasing your stress level, and altering your diet.

Keep in mind that HPV is very common and you are not alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most people with HPV don’t show any symptoms. Only individuals with a cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina, are able to get tested. However, if you or your partner notice genital warts, you should reach out to a doctor right away.

Not typically. HPV infections often go away without treatment within a few months, and about 90% clear on their own within two years. However, some individuals may have long-term symptoms or develop cervical cancer.

If you don’t have symptoms, you may not know when the infection has cleared your system. If you have symptoms, your doctor will be able to tell you when you no longer have the infection.

Bacterial infections are caused by bacteria, while viral infections are caused by viruses. That’s the easy part. Differentiating between the two requires medical intervention since both may cause fever and irritability. And the treatments vary significantly. Pediatrician Betty Staples, MD, offers advice on how to tell the difference between these two types of infection.

Every day, parents bring their children to the pediatrician for help in determining whether their sick child has “just a cold” or something more.

Children’s colds result in 22 million missed school days and 20 million parental missed days of work every year. In most cases, these are the “just a cold” variety of virus. However, we also know that other, less common infections can develop in our children, and these need evaluation by the pediatrician to determine if antibiotics are required.

Viral Infections

Common viral infections such as an upper respiratory infection can typically be detected by a runny nose, cough, low-grade fever, sore throat, and difficulty sleeping. No antibiotics or anti-viral medications can hasten recovery from the cold.

Of note, when compared to adults, upper respiratory infections in children may last longer (up to 14 days) and occur more frequently (average six to eight per year).

Influenza is a viral illness that can cause many of the same symptoms but also is frequently accompanied by intense body aches and higher fever. Unlike upper respiratory infections, the flu’s duration — if detected within the first 48 hours of illness — can be shortened by antiviral medication.

A dose of flu vaccine (or two doses a month apart in the young child receiving flu vaccine for the first time) given at the start of each “flu season” can help to prevent influenza infections.

Bacterial Infections

In some cases we become more concerned that the infection may be caused by a bacterial infection. Bacterial infections may be the result of “secondary infection” (meaning that the virus initiated the process but a bacteria followed) when the:

• Symptoms persist longer than the expected 10-14 days a virus tends to last
• Fever is higher than one might typically expect from a virus
• Fever gets worse a few days into the illness rather than improving

Sinusitis, ear infections, and pneumonias are common examples of secondary infections. For example, a runny nose that persists beyond 10-14 days may be a sinus infection that would be best treated with an antibiotic. Ear pain and new onset fever after several days of a runny nose is probably an ear infection. Depending on your child’s age, these infections may or may not require an antibiotic.

Pneumonia may be detected by persistent cough, stomach ache, or difficulty breathing. Your physician may diagnose pneumonia by physical exam or may request a chest x-ray.

Other bacterial illnesses that we are concerned about include urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can be hard to detect and can cause kidney damage if they are untreated. If your child has a fever without a great source of infection, your doctor will likely want to check the urine. UTIs are more common in little girls and in baby boys under one year of age who are not circumcised.

More serious concerns are bacterial illnesses like sepsis (bacteria in the blood) and bacterial meningitis (bacterial infection in the lining of the brain and spinal cord). We become concerned about meningitis in older children with a stiff neck or changes in mental status. Babies are less likely to be able to show us these symptoms, and we are more likely to do more tests on them to make sure these infections are not part of the illness.

Remember that many of the vaccines that your child receives in the first years are meant to prevent these serious bacterial infections.

Have you ever encounter data loss after performing a hard drive partition on your Windows computer? Don’t be panic, just try the method of how to recover data from a partitioned hard drive in this guide to get lost data back.

By Demi / Last update May 25, 2022

Common scenario of data loss in partitioned hard drive

For computer novices, the data loss on your computer is undoubtedly one of the most frustrating events since you may have no idea how to fix lost data. You may partition hard disk in Windows 10 to save files for different purposes. However, unexpected data loss may follow when you finish partitioning the hard drive on your computer.

And things may get worse if you find you lose not only important data saved in the partition but also the partition itself, which lead that you have no access to recover the lost data from the partition.

You may partition the whole hard drive when you intend to better manage your PC data or troubleshoot the issue in the Windows operating system. And sometimes, when you intend to recover data from the hard disk, you may find the hard disk is shown here as “Not Initialized”.

Then, how can you recover data from a partitioned hard drive? Keep reading, and you can get a simple way to get all lost data back from the partitioned hard drive.

How to recover data from a partitioned hard drive via AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows

Here is highly recommended the professional data recovery software – AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows, which applies to all-inclusive data loss conditions in HDD/SSD, such as hard drive managing, accidental deletion, system crash, virus attack, and so on.

What you can also benefit from AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows
вњ” Recover more than 200 types of data. It supports recovering more than 200 types of data, which includes but is not limited to texts, pictures, videos, audio, compressed files, etc.
вњ” Advanced scanning technology. AOMEI Data recovery for Windows is equipped with the newest scanning algorithm, making it deeply and quickly to scan your partitioned hard drive.
вњ” Simple interface and operations. It is such a user-friendly tool for even computer green-hands. Just within three steps, you can finish the process to recover lost data from the partitioned hard drive.

Click the icon below to free download AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows on your computer, and follow the three steps below to recover lost files from the partitioned hard drive.

3 steps to recover data from a partitioned hard drive via ADR for Windows
Step 1. Run AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows on your computer > Locate and choose the exact hard drive that you lost data from > Click Start Scan.

Step 2. Wait for the scan process to finish. During the process, you can click the folders in the Scanned files list to browse and choose the wanted files you’d like to recover.

Step 3. Make sure you have selected all needed data to recover > Click Recover x files to get the lost files back > Finally, choose a destination to save the selected files.

When the process is complete, go to the exact folder to check the restored files.

Bonus: How to recover data from a deleted partition on a hard drive

What can you do if you accidentally delete a partition during the disk partition management process? How can you recover data from a deleted partition on a hard drive? Don’t panic, you can rely on the partition assistant from the AOMEI family to recover deleted partition together with the data in it.

Free download the Demo version of AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional and take a look at how to recover data from a deleted partition on hard drive.

Step 1. Run AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional > Click All Tools > Choose Partition Recovery Wizard > Choose the hard disk that contains the partition you need to recover.

Step 2. In the prompt window, choose a proper search method as per your need > Click Next to continue.

Step 3. Check the deleted partition from the list and click Proceed.

Step 4. Wait for the process to finish and click Finish when you see Congratulations!

Summary

That’s all for the detailed instructions about how to recover data from a partitioned hard drive via AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows. If the partition in the hard drive is also lost, you can try to recover it using AOMEI Partition Assistant.

To avoid unexpected data loss on your Windows computer, it is suggested to schedule regular partition backup with professional backup software. If this guide helps you, please share it with others.

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Looking for a technique for VBA Macro virus prevention? Don’t worry, in this blog post, we will completely assist you with “how to protect from macro viruses or how to protect against macro viruses” related queries.

If you are a working professional or a corporate level user then you need to stay safe and secure from Macro Malware / Ransomware attacks. Hackers and cyber criminals prefer to target business users for malware attacks.

Therefore, Microsoft also recommends to disable the VBA programming language for Office documents. All Microsoft Office products come with a disabled VBA programming language by default. But developers can enable it on their self-risk.

User Queries on Macro Malware Prevention

I am working as a VBA programming code developer for the past several years. I cannot disable VBA Macros from Office programs because this is my daily routine. But I have concerned about macro ransomware and macro malware attacks. I have approx 10K+ Excel / Word / PowerPoint VBA projects and some of them were downloaded from the internet. Hence, I am concerned, do you know any solution for me?

Similar Queries

• How to protect against macro viruses?
• How to prevent macro viruses from VBA?

Download Macro Virus Removal Tool – Expert Choice

VBA Macro Code Remover by BitRecover is the first choice of professional users to protect from macro viruses. The tool supports all VBA projects created with all Microsoft Office programs. This Macro Malware Removal Tool gives permission for the permanent deletion of macro coding from VBA projects. Therefore, there is no chance that macro viruses attack on your computer. The best-noted point of this software is that before deleting VBA macros and module coding, users can export macro code into a single text file. We all know that a simple text file cannot be affected by macro malware easily.

How to Protect Against Macro Viruses?

1. Begin Macro Virus Removal Tool and choose any one option from Select Files or Select Folders.
2. Choose a folder having various VBA macro projects and press Select Folder.
3. Thereafter, you can see inserted VBA projects in the software panel with complete detailed information.
4. Select all or specific VBA projects accordingly from the software interface.
5. After that, check in front of Remove VBA Code & Save VBA Code as Text File options. Now click on Save Document.
6. Browse the destination path and hit on Select Folder button.
7. Removing macros and modules from Office documents for macro virus prevention. After receiving the message of completion, click on Ok.
8. Lastly, it will automatically open the output folder. Here, you can see your Office documents without having VBA macros coding. Also, get a simple text file for each project that has VBA macro coding for future use.

Why Macro Malware Removal?

• This application offers you better macro virus prevention from Office VBA projects. Even it supports VBA projects created with all Office programs i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.
• If you have some downloaded VBA projects from internet then you can remove macro coding from them. This software is capable to protect against macro viruses and macro ransomware attacks.
• Macro Virus Removal Tool offers a separate option to save VBA code as a text file having *.txt file extension. Hence, if you want to reuse macro programming code in the future then you can do it easily.
• This is an exquisite software for VBA Macro malware prevention. It allows to prevent macro viruses by proceeding multiple VBA projects at once. Therefore, users can save crucial time.
• After uploading VBA projects in the software window, it provides detailed information about projects. Users can easily know VBA code, and whether VBA passwords are exists or not.
• If you have some VBA projects but you forgot the password. Then, you can also use this software to remove VBA passwords from all available file extensions i.e., XLSX, XLSM, XLS, XLT, XLA, DOCX, DOCM, DOC, DOC, PPTM, PPTX, etc.

Manual Tips for Macro Virus Protection

It is advisable to use digital signatures to protect from macro viruses as digital signatures are capable to find out download source and author bio. Therefore, users can know the possibilities of macro virus prevention as most of the time micros malware comes from an untrustworthy source.

Timely check for regular updates and keep your pc safe and secure from macro malware viruses. Updating your computer’s security programmers on a regular basis will help protect you against new macro infections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q 1 – How to protect against Macro viruses?

A – Use Macro Virus Removal Tool and extract macro coding into simple text files that contain no viruses. After that, erase all macros and module coding from VBA projects.

Q 2 – Can I install Macro Malware Removal on Windows Server 2022 64-bit operating system?

A – Yes, this utility is reconcilable with the latest Windows Server 2022 & Windows 11 operating systems. Even it supports all previous editions too.

Q 3 – I mostly work on Excel VBA projects, will your software provide Macro virus prevention?

A – Yes, this is a powerful and reliable software for macro virus protection that supports all VBA projects of Microsoft Office programs.

Online, the paranoia and misinformation is rampant.

Posted on May 23, 2022 Updated on May 23, 2022, 2:57 pm CDT

The global outbreak of the monkeypox virus is already inspiring conspiracy theories. And just like last time, many falsely claim the outbreak is caused by the COVID-19 vaccine.

Monkeypox is a rare virus endemic to Africa, where it usually spreads from animals to humans. Human-to-human transmission occurs when there’s close contact with infected fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials such as clothing, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Thus far, the WHO reports that there have been roughly 100 cases identified in 12 countries where the virus is not endemic, making this the biggest outbreak in decades. Health officials are investigating dozens of additional suspected infections. There are two confirmed cases and one suspected in the United States.

Monkeypox causes a rash and symptoms similar to the flu. It’s similar to, but less severe than, smallpox. Most people recover in a few weeks without treatment, but it can be deadly. The mortality rate is 3-6%.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there is no proven treatment for monkeypox. However, the smallpox vaccine is at least 85% effective at preventing infection, per the CDC.

NBC reported on Monday that authorities suspect that the current outbreak is linked to sexual behavior at two large events in Europe.

The facts that this is a known virus that’s previously caused outbreaks, there have been a tiny fraction of cases compared to COVID, and that there’s a logical explanation for the monkeypox outbreak isn’t stopping conspiracy theorists from coming up with their own ideas.

Monkeypox conspiracy theories

Dr. Robert Malone, who rose to prominence by peddling COVID disinformation, opined that reporting about monkeypox comprises “information manipulation and weaponization.”

Telegram channels associated with trucker convoy protests that ostensibly began over COVID restrictions shared links to a public Facebook group called “Monkeypox the New Fraud.”

“We have made a new fb group to smash the pandemic—the next one—to pieces,” they wrote of the group. (The monkeypox outbreak isn’t defined as a pandemic, nor is it expected to.)

Posts in the group falsely claim that the monkeypox cases are actually caused by COVID vaccines, and that pharmaceutical companies are behind it.

MonkeyPox The New Fraud/Facebook

Disinformation linking the monkeypox outbreak to COVID vaccines is circulating on numerous platforms.

Anonymous users on 4chan are circulating this and other outlandish theories. Posts there claim it’s a “false flag,” “biological terrorism,” or part of a conspiracy. Many of the theories are bigoted, blaming Jewish people, people of color, or sexual minorities for monkeypox.

MonkeyPox The New Fraud/Facebook

The international internet is infected with conspiracy theories about monkeypox.

The South China Morning Post reports that China’s Weibo platform is full of theories about the virus, including that the “U.S. let monkeypox loose.”

“It’s a biowar against us by our governments!!” an Instagram user baselessly claimed over the weekend.

A Rumble video with 40,000 views claims that the “Public Health Mafia” got “caught red-handed” planning the outbreak.

Right-wing commentator Tim Pool warned his 1.3 million Twitter followers that “lockdowns are coming,” simply because Belgium is requiring people infected with monkeypox to self-quarantine. Belgium enacted the measure after identifying four cases of the virus in the last week.

Pool’s followers chimed in with additional theories of their own. More than one opined that the outbreak and fictitious lockdowns he warned of are “just in time for the midterms.”

— Rain Ω Mars me adiuvat! (@Rain_skullboy) May 23, 2022

Although the monkeypox outbreak is grabbing headlines and attracting intense interest—likely due in part to the COVID pandemic—health authorities say that there’s no reason to panic. The last outbreak in the U.S. infected 50 people in 2003 and was quickly contained.

In contrast, more than two years after the first domestic case of COVID, the virus continues spreading and has killed 1 million.

“There is no evidence, to date, that person-to-person transmission alone can sustain monkeypox infections in the human population,” the WHO reports.

Dado Rovich | Reuters

A recent outbreak of monkeypox throughout the United StatesAnd the Europe, Australia and the Middle East have baffled health experts and raised fears of a wider outbreak.

As of Wednesday, there were 346 confirmed and suspected cases in 22 countries outside Africa, where the virus is endemic, according to Our World in Data.

It represents the first known spread of the virus in the community. Prior to this outbreak, cases had been linked to travel to areas where the virus was endemic or imported animals carrying the virus.

The majority of new cases were spread through sex, with a particular focus among men who have sex with other men. However, the World Health Organization has warned that anyone may be at risk of contracting the virus. Children, pregnant women and those with immunodeficiency are especially at risk.

“Anyone in close contact with an infectious person is at risk,” said a statement on the WHO’s website on Wednesday.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is part of the same family as smallpox, although it is usually less severe. Smallpox vaccines have been shown to be 85% effective against monkeypox.

On Monday, the World Health Organization said it was unlikely that mass vaccines would be needed to combat the outbreak. But given the pace of the outbreak and the lack of clarity about the cause, the Public Health Authority has urged people to practice good hygiene and safe sex to help control its spread.

Protecting yourself from monkeypox

While health experts agree that the risks to the general public are low, there are many precautions you can take to reduce your risk of contracting the virus.

Recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the UK’s National Health Service and the World Health Organization include:

• Avoid contact with people who have recently been diagnosed with the virus or who may be infected.

• Wear a face mask if you have been in close contact with someone who has symptoms.

• Use a condom and watch for symptoms if you have recently changed your sexual partner.

• Avoid contact with animals that can carry the virus. This includes sick or dead animals and especially those with a history of infection, such as monkeys, ferrets, and prairie dogs.

• Practice good hand hygiene, especially after contact with infected or suspected animals or humans. For example, wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients with confirmed or suspected monkeypox infection.

This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows mature oval-shaped monkeypox viruses, left, and immature spherical virions, right, obtained from a human skin sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak.

Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner | CDC via AP

Monkeypox can also be transmitted through surfaces and materials, so it is wise to avoid contact with materials that have come into contact with a sick human or animal.

“This is a very stable virus outside of the human host, so it can live on things like blankets and things like that,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb said Monday.

“Good practice is to wash clothes and bedding regularly at high temperatures,” Emmanuel Andre, a professor of medicine at Belgium’s KU Leuven University, told CNBC on Wednesday.

However, he said he did not think it would be necessary for the general public to start avoiding public places, taxis, shopping and hotels.

“The general public doesn’t need to take more precautions than we do in normal life,” he said. “If people are among the high-risk population, realizing that they are in a high-risk environment, they need to take extra precautions.”

What do you do if you get monkeypox?

If you suspect that you have contracted monkeypox, you should isolate yourself from physical contact with others and seek medical advice immediately.

Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches and swelling, and back pain. Rashes and lesions usually appear on the face, hands, feet, eyes, mouth, or genitals within one to five days. These rashes turn into raised bumps and then blisters, which may fill with a white fluid before breaking and crusting.

In this graphic published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of one of the first known cases of monkeypox virus appear on a patient’s hand on May 27, 2003.

CDC | Getty Images

Many symptoms of the virus can easily be confused with other diseases, such as chickenpox, herpes or syphilis, so medical confirmation is important.

If you have been diagnosed with monkeypox, you will need to isolate it until the virus has passed. The disease is usually mild and most people recover within 2 to 4 weeks.

While medical advice currently varies between countries, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) says you may need to stay in a specialist hospital to prevent the infection from spreading to other people.

CNBC Health and Science

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Can you get rid of HPV?

Q&A with Dr. Manny: My OB-GYN recently told me I have HPV. Because I’m over the age limit for the vaccine, is there anything else I can do to help get rid of it?

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. In fact, it’s so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.

There are over 100 different kinds of HPV, but only some of them can cause serious health problems like genital warts or cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva or anus.

We got this question from a viewer:

Dear Dr. Manny,
My OB-GYN recently told me I have HPV. I know it’s extremely common and that your immune system can naturally clear the infection over time, but I’m still freaking out about it. Because I’m over the age limit for the vaccine, is there anything else I can do to help get rid of it?
Thanks,
Rachel

Testing positive for HPV does not automatically mean you will get cancer. Some studies estimate that 50 percent of those infected with HPV will clear the virus within eight months— and 90 percent will be cured within two years. It’s only when your immune system isn’t able to fight off the infection that some strains of HPV can persist and possibly lead to cancer.

Getting regular screenings and pap tests are important for early detection in women. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an HPV test for women over 30 years old, but there is currently no HPV test for men.

“If a woman has HPV, there is an increased risk of transmission to her partner,” Dr. Jennifer Landa, an OBGYN and Chief Medical Officer of BodyLogicMD, told FoxNews.com. “Many partners will never develop any problems, but there is an increasing incidence of oral cancers in men that seem to be transmitted from oral sex with HPV-positive partners.”

Men and women can lower their risk of HPV by getting vaccinated. The FDA has approved three HPV vaccines for use in the U.S., and research has shown they are highly effective against certain strains of HPV that cause health problems like genital warts and cancer. The Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) recommends all boys and girls ages 11 or 12 years should get vaccinated. Because the vaccines work only before you get infected, experts say it’s better for kids to get vaccinated before becoming sexually active.

There is no cure for the HPV virus, but there are several things you can do to help your body clear the virus, and lower your chances of it persisting and turning into cancer.

“You want to do a few things,” Landa said. “First, avoid smoking, and if you smoke, quit smoking. Second, avoid oral contraceptives. Studies show that the birth control pill can increase your likelihood of HPV turning into cancer.”

Women with HPV need to decide with their doctor if they want to stop taking the pill and should finish their current pack before planning for their next method of birth control if they want to protect against pregnancy, Landa suggested.

Birth control in the form of an intrauterine device (IUD) also comes with a warning, Landa said.

“You want to consider using the copper IUD rather than the one that contains hormones. The hormone containing IUD was just shown in a study to reduce clearance of HPV,” she said.

As your immune system is the first line of defense against HPV, boosting it can help fight off the virus naturally.

“I would tank up on certain vitamins,” Landa said. “Several vitamins have been shown to increase the likelihood of clearing the HPV.”

“The first one is B vitamins— especially Folic acid and B12. I would recommend Folic Acid 1000mcg— [the] best form is methyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF). And For B12, I would recommend at least 1000mcg per day in the form of methylcobalamin.”

Landa also suggested taking certain forms of vitamin E.

“I would recommend 400iu, comprised of mixed tocopherols including beta and gamma tocopherols. Most of the vitamin E sold is delta tocopherol, so you want to make sure you’re getting a vitamin E with “mixed tocopherols” that includes the beta and gamma forms to get the results you’re looking for.”

Pneumonia

How Is Pneumonia Treated?

When you get a pneumonia diagnosis, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan. Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia you have, how sick you are feeling, your age, and whether you have other health conditions. The goals of treatment are to cure the infection and prevent complications. It is important to follow your treatment plan carefully until you are fully recovered.

Take any medications as prescribed by your doctor. If your pneumonia is caused by bacteria, you will be given an antibiotic. It is important to take all the antibiotic until it is gone, even though you will probably start to feel better in a couple of days. If you stop, you risk having the infection come back, and you increase the chances that the germs will be resistant to treatment in the future.

Typical antibiotics do not work against viruses. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication to treat it. Sometimes, though, symptom management and rest are all that is needed.

Most people can manage their symptoms such as fever and cough at home by following these steps:

• Control your fever with aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen), or acetaminophen. DO NOT give aspirin to children.
• Drink plenty of fluids to help loosen secretions and bring up phlegm.
• Do not take cough medicines without first talking to your doctor. Coughing is one way your body works to get rid of an infection. If your cough is preventing you from getting the rest you need, ask your doctor about steps you can take to get relief.
• Drink warm beverages, take steamy baths and use a humidifier to help open your airways and ease your breathing. Contact your doctor right away if your breathing gets worse instead of better over time.
• Stay away from smoke to let your lungs heal. This includes smoking, secondhand smoke and wood smoke. Talk to your doctor if you are a smoker and are having trouble staying smokefree while you recover. This would be a good time to think about quitting for good.
• Get lots of rest. You may need to stay in bed for a while. Get as much help as you can with meal preparation and household chores until you are feeling stronger. It is important not to overdo daily activities until you are fully recovered.

If your pneumonia is so severe that you are treated in the hospital, you may be given intravenous fluids and antibiotics, as well as oxygen therapy, and possibly other breathing treatments.

Recovering from Pneumonia

It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better and are able to return to their normal routines within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more. Most people continue to feel tired for about a month. Adequate rest is important to maintain progress toward full recovery and to avoid relapse. Don’t rush your recovery! Talk with your doctor about when you can go back to your normal routine.

While you are recovering, try to limit your contact with family and friends, to help keep your germs from spreading to other people. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough, promptly dispose of tissues in a closed waste container and wash your hands often.

If you have taken antibiotics, your doctor will want to make sure your chest X-ray is normal again after you finish the whole prescription. It may take many weeks for your X-ray to clear up.

Possible Pneumonia Complications

People who may be more likely to have complications from pneumonia include:

• Older adults or very young children.
• People whose immune system does not work well.
• People with other, serious medical problems such as diabetes or cirrhosis of the liver.

Possible complications include:

• Respiratory failure, which requires a breathing machine or ventilator.
• Sepsis, a condition in which there is uncontrolled inflammation in the body, which may lead to widespread organ failure.
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a severe form of respiratory failure.
• Lung abscesses, which are infrequent, but serious complications of pneumonia. They occur when pockets of pus form inside or around the lung. These may sometimes need to be drained with surgery.

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