Can You Get Sick Again From the Same Virus
Although the peak of the coronavirus pandemic has very much passed in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, it's far from over - with 2d waves popping upward all effectually the world there is no guarantee we won't experience the same. Plus, with continued social distancing provisions being put in place in all aspects of public life, things don't exactly feel normal correct now.
Simply if you were to catch the COVID-19 virus, does this mean you can swiftly resume normality? Before the coronavirus outbreak, nosotros spoke to Dr Richard Pebody, Public Health England'south Head of Influenza and other respiratory viruses, nearly whether it's possible to get the aforementioned virus twice - and the information feels more pertinent now than ever before.
You know the drill from winter seasons gone past; you get a cold, and then you pass it to your housemate. Or your partner. Or your colleagues. And before you know it, information technology's come right back effectually to you. You're ill again. But why? It begs the question: tin can you actually grab the same virus twice?
Generally, the answer is: no, you can't. But the bad news is that there are so many viruses and germs flying around (especially during the wintertime months), you've got a high chance of catching another one instead. Where coronavirus is concerned, there are fears that it may take the capacity to mutate into more than one strain, significant you could in theory grab it twice.
"The body's immune system recognises and fights off germs such as viruses that have invaded your blood," Dr Richard Pebody, Public Health England's Caput of Influenza and other respiratory viruses, told Cosmopolitan U.k.. When your allowed system detects influenza and other viruses, it volition make antibodies to set on them, which means that if you're exposed to a virus afterwards yous've already come up into contact with it, your immune system will recognise it and will already be armed to fight it off before it takes hold.
So what does that mean for coronavirus?
Hong Kong just reported the instance of a healthy man in his 30s, who has go reinfected with coronavirus a second time, four and a half months after he was beginning struck down past it. Experts analysing the genome sequencing of the viruses bear witness the two strains are "clearly different", reports the BBC, which would explain why he was able to catch it twice.
The theory that there may exist two different strains of the highly contagious coronavirus is something that has been hypothesised earlier. Some have suggested that at that place could be i, far more balmy strain of the virus, and another that yields more severe symptoms. However, the World Health Organisation reassures that information technology's not necessary to enter a blind state of panic based on but one instance.
According to Dr Pebody, information technology's mutual for viruses to mutate, pregnant your trunk won't be immune to the new strain. "The viruses that crusade flu tin can change every year, and then even if you've had flu recently information technology's recommended that you get a vaccination that matches the new viruses that might circulate each year," he advised.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You lot may be able to observe the same content in another format, or yous may exist able to find more data, at their web site.
"Because influenza is caused by several viruses, the immunity you naturally develop after infection will just protect you confronting that i strain – then yous could too go on to grab another strain."
And information technology's a pretty similar situation with colds, explained the physician. "Information technology is unlikely yous will become the same cold twice in quick succession, even so due to the many viruses which cause a common cold yous may well grab another common cold virus," he said.
Merely at this stage, COVID-19 reinfection cases are likely to be rare and non necessarily serious. The human being in Hong Kong was reportedly asymptotic the 2nd time around.
At the risk of sounding similar your mum, recall that viruses - and coronavirus in particular - are highly infectious. They are spread through coughs and sneezes, which tin can then alive on easily and surfaces for several hours - and peradventure days. Then Wash THEM. And exercise it properly (for at least 20 seconds, or the elapsing of the Happy Altogether vocal twice).
Near chiefly, though: follow the official advice. If you lot develop a new, persistent cough or a fever, treat information technology as though you may have contracted coronavirus and self-isolate for 14 days along with the rest of your household.
Yup, information technology'south crap. But the best mode to get through this unchartered territory is to all pull together and follow the advice we're given, right?
The information in this story is authentic as of the publication appointment. While we are attempting to keep our content every bit upwardly-to-appointment as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop chop-chop, so information technology's possible that some data and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For whatever concerns and latest advice, visit the Earth Health System . If y'all're in the UK, the National Health Service tin likewise provide useful information and back up, while Usa users can contact the Center for Illness Command and Prevention .
Follow True cat on Instagram.
Like this commodity? Sign upwardly to our newsletter to go more articles like this delivered directly to your inbox.
SIGN Up
This content is created and maintained past a tertiary party, and imported onto this page to aid users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more than information about this and similar content at piano.io
Source: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a25390931/catch-virus-twice/
Post a Comment for "Can You Get Sick Again From the Same Virus"