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Since the pandemic began in March, approximately 350,000 people in Minnesota have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 300,000 have recovered enough from the coronavirus that they likely do not pass it on to others.
But that doesn’t mean they’re done with COVID-19.
It was less than a year since scientists first identified SARS-CoV-2 which rocked the globe, infecting at least 64 million people and killing more than 1.4 million people.
“There is so much that we are still learning that is still unknown,” said Dr. Nick Lehnertz, a medical specialist in the Minnesota Department of Health in the Division of Infectious Diseases who studies COVID-19 and its effects. long-term.
In Minnesota, the coronavirus has killed more than 3,800 people and sent 17,600 more to hospitals, including nearly 4,000 who required intensive care.
Vaccines are expected to be available soon for a very limited number of medical workers and residents of long-term care facilities. In the meantime, it’s important for everyone to understand what scientists now know about coronavirus transmission, recovery, immunity, and reinfection. Here are the answers to some common questions:
AFTER THE POSITIVE TEST, HOW LONG ARE PEOPLE CONTAGIOUS?
SARS-CoV-2 typically has an incubation period of between two and 14 days after a person contracts the coronavirus. Many people never have symptoms, and most are contagious before they know they are infected.
This is why it is important to understand that a negative test one day does not mean that there is no infection a few days later.
Lehnertz says there is also a distinction between quarantine and isolation.
A person exposed to COVID-19 or suspected of being infected should self-quarantine at home for 14 days, regardless of whether they show symptoms or test negative.
On the other hand, a person who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate themselves, including other members of their household, for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms or from a positive test, preferably according to the longest duration.
“Typically, you are contagious for up to nine days after the onset of symptoms,” Lehnertz said.
WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS TO FOLLOW?
Most people who contract COVID-19 feel better within a week or two of the onset of symptoms. Yet, the virus is known to have radically different effects on different people.
A small minority of people who catch the coronavirus experience symptoms, such as fatigue and body aches, for weeks or months after their first illness. Not much is known about these so-called “long-haul routes,” but Lehnertz says a number of clinics across the country are studying patients whose symptoms persist.
There are also a number of other health issues that can occur in people who have contracted SARS-CoV-2 and have recovered.
One of the best known is multi-system inflammatory syndrome, which usually appears in children and causes inflammation of different organs. To date, 42 cases have been diagnosed in Minnesota and no deaths.
There were also short-term complications, including difficulty concentrating, depression, muscle pain, and heart palpitations. The most serious long-term effects that have been recorded include inflammation of the heart, breathing problems and kidney damage.
Little is known about why these conditions occur and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 contraction. Health officials say anyone recovering from the disease should watch for other symptoms and health issues and contact their doctor.
“Everyone knows each other,” Lehnertz said. “People will know when something is wrong.”
CAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD COVID-19 GET IT AGAIN?
The simple answer is yes, but it is probably highly unlikely. The science is complicated and there is a lot that is still unknown.
Lehnertz says there have been only a handful of proven examples of reinfection in 64 million known cases of COVID-19 worldwide. In order to prove reinfection, scientists have to compare the two strains of SARS-CoV-2 that infected an individual to be sure.
Viruses are constantly changing over time, and there are several identifiable different strains of COVID-19. Sequencing the DNA of two samples taken from the same person at different times is the only real way to know for sure whether a person has been infected twice.
“It’s the gold standard,” Lehnertz said. “This is where we can see, yes it is completely different.”
What is more common, but still unlikely, are people who test positive for the same strain of coronavirus multiple times over a long period of time. These people lose virus fragments for weeks or months and may test positive repeatedly, but are not suspected of being transmitters after the initial period of contagion.
HOW LONG IS IMMUNITY?
This is a question that will take longer to answer.
There is evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have anti-virus antibodies for months. In others, the presence of antibodies begins to decrease after a while.
Just because antibodies can’t be detected doesn’t mean the immune system won’t remember COVID-19 and how to fight it.
It will likely be a number of years before scientists have a clear picture of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and how often people need to be vaccinated against it.
“When things are going well, we just don’t know enough about how long immunity lasts and how it would affect a second infection,” Lehnertz said.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people who have recovered from coronavirus infection may still benefit from the vaccination. A guide published at the end of November cites all current unknown factors regarding the coronavirus.
What remains unclear is when previously infected people will be eligible for the vaccine.
WHY DO PEOPLE WHO RECOVER HAVE TO WEAR MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCE?
For the foreseeable future, health officials say everyone should wear masks, get away from society, avoid crowds, and stay home when they are sick, as there are so many unanswered questions about COVID-19.
The main reason for these mitigation efforts is to protect people who have not yet fallen ill, especially those who are medically vulnerable.
But there are also good reasons to protect those who believe they have recovered from COVID-19 as there are so many unknowns about the long-term impacts.
“It’s not a huge request to wear a mask,” Lehnertz said. “We’re all in the same boat, aren’t we?” Simply wear the mask and stay six feet away. It’s not hard.”
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