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Actress and singer Hilary Duff sparked confusion on social media Tuesday when she suggested that a recent eye infection she suffered from was caused by “all COVID tests at work”. Despite the Younger In the actress’ statement, experts say the COVID-19 test is an implausible explanation and the general public should not be concerned about such a side effect.
“It is not known how a nasal swab could give you an eye infection,” says Dr. Dara Kass, medical associate at Yahoo Life. “It’s more likely that she had it in her community and that they were linked by chance.”
Dr Brian Toy, ophthalmologist and assistant professor at the Roski Eye Institute at the University of Southern California, agrees. “It seems very unlikely,” Toy tells Yahoo Life. “The swabs they use for COVID testing are sterile, and when administered by a nurse or trained technician, they do not cause unnecessary trauma, so it seems unlikely that nasal swabs will cause eye infections. “
Duff, who had to self-quarantine in November after being exposed to COVID-19, shared details of her eye infection on Instagram, saying she “took a little trip to the ER” and “needed some help. antibiotics ”to treat it. Kass says antibiotics are often given for conjunctivitis (or pink eye), which is inflammation of the conjunctiva, the clear tissue that covers the inside of the eye. Common causes of infection include bacteria, allergies, or a viral infection.
While there have been several reports of individuals with COVID-19 suffering from eye infections, Kass says the idea that it resulted from a COVID-19 test is illogical. “The bacteria that infects your eye in conjunctivitis is not what we test for in COVID,” Kass says. “And she doesn’t even have COVID. So how would this be? Kass adds that taking a COVID-19 test is possibly one of the safest experiences you can have in 2021.
“We have more protective gear and less contamination for COVID-19 testing than any other interaction in the world,” Kass says. “It’s much more likely that she touched a surface and rubbed her eyes. There are a million reasons she might have got conjunctivitis, it happens all the time – and while she may believe it happened as a result of a COVID test, it wouldn’t make sense to me.
Toy agrees, adding that “ENT surgeons go into the nose and instrument the nose all the time for things like sinus surgery. [and] there is no increased risk of eye infections because of this. He confirms that conjunctivitis may be a symptom of COVID-19, but clarifies that it does not affect testing. “In general, I think these wouldn’t be related,” he says. “The patient could have conjunctivitis and test positive for COVID, but a nasal swab is unlikely to precipitate conjunctivitis.”
A representative for Duff, who is pregnant with her third child, did not return Yahoo Life’s request for comment.
For the latest news and updates on the coronavirus, follow to https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those with compromised immune systems continue to be at greatest risk. If you have any questions, please consult the CDC and WHO resource guides.
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