According to the current rules, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) instructs people to isolate themselves for at least five days once they test positive for COVID-19. That may change in the coming months because the CDC may issue new guidelines. The new guidelines would depend on symptoms and not merely a positive test result. This marks a shift from how people currently attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The new guidelines state that you can end isolation if you are fever-free for 24 hours and have mild or improving symptoms. Changes to existing guidelines would not go into effect until at least April, which is the end of respiratory viral season. Health experts agree that that is a wise choice, given the presence of influenza, RSV, general viruses, and COVID strains that are currently circulating. This would be a big transition from current protocols, with some arguing that the newer guidelines are dangerous. Others agree that not everyone can afford to isolate. Here’s how infectious disease experts feel about the potential upcoming changes. 

New Guidelines Rely On Personal Responsibility

Most infectious disease experts agree that you should not go to work when you are sick, no matter what sickness you have. Taking time to rest and heal is paramount, and not going to work helps reduce the spread of whatever virus you have. Changing COVID-19 isolation guidelines, then, essentially normalizes COVID-19, along with other viruses that can cause respiratory illnesses. 

It is up to the individual to be responsible and honest about symptoms. If the symptoms are bad, they should not go out in public. When symptoms improve, they should continue to take precautions, like wearing a mask inside public spaces, for example. Once the person does not have a fever and symptoms are either improving or generally mild, experts agree that it is reasonable to return back to the outside world. It is, however, possible that the new guidelines will suggest people to wear masks upon returning to work. 

The new guidelines also take into account that more people are protected against severe disease or hospitalization and death. Gone are the early days of the pandemic, when most people didn’t have any immune protection. Infectious disease specialists agree that people have built up a certain level of community immunity, so the new guidelines seem reasonable. 

The Change Addresses The Fact That Most People Cannot Miss Five Days Of Work

If the person works from home, which became a popular method of employment during the pandemic, then missing work doesn’t really factor into the equation. You don’t have to leave your house, therefore you don’t have to worry about infecting fellow employees. If people work in an office or in a physical location, missing work for five days may not be easy or possible. Plus, people tend to rely on at-home testing more so than a test from a doctor’s office. 

Many employers may not be willing to accept an at-home test as a reliable confirmation of COVID-19 infection. A test may be required from a doctor, so it is harder for people to abide by at-home isolation requirements these days. 

Could New Guidelines Threaten High-Risk People?

In some places, more so than others, COVID cases have dropped this year. Additionally, experts note that those who contract the virus have had lower severity of significant illness. That said, some people continue to experience complications, such as severe disease, that require hospitalization, or symptoms from long COVID. Is it true that many people recover just fine from COVID without serious symptoms? Yes, but people with weak immunity, even if they got the vaccine and boosters, may not have a protective immune response against the virus. 

That means that a significant number of people have an increased risk of severe symptoms that result from COVID-19 infection. Because of that, it is the responsibility of the people with stronger immunity to take precautions if symptoms are mild. Wear a mask in public if you don’t have a fever and are no longer isolating. That can go a long way in limiting the spread of the virus to people who are highly vulnerable. 

There is still a risk to reentering the public with active COVID-19 infection. Infectious disease experts hope that masking becomes more of a norm if people come out of isolation with mild symptoms. Masking is more commonplace in other countries, but there is still a general stigma around it in the United States. If you do not feel well enough to go out, wear a mask so that you don’t spread whatever you have to your loved ones, coworkers, or community. 

COVID-19 Isn’t Gone

COVID-19 is not gone forever if the CDC changes its guidelines. Many experts agree that COVID is here to stay, and the public needs to understand that, even if it isn’t the primary news story. Do all that you can to protect and care for yourself and others, especially those who have weaker immune systems or existing health conditions. All experts can do is encourage people to do the right thing, but it will be interesting to see what the CDC’s new guidelines are and how they affect the spread and infection rates. Even though COVID-19 may soon be viewed as an endemic disease, it is by no means an insignificant illness.

SHARE:

The post The CDC May Issue New COVID-19 Isolation Rules appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Some people don’t experience any symptoms, while others experience cold or flu-like symptoms due to COVID-19 infection. And then there are those who go through the whole nine, suffering from body aches, fever, cough, and loss of taste and smell. 

A new study was conducted in 2020 at NewYork Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical center in New York City. The scientists tested 266 people for antibodies to COVID-19 at least two weeks after their symptoms had mainly subsided. Tests revealed that the subjects no longer showed signs of active infection. None of the test subjects experienced severe cases, and they did not have signs of acute infection. During their tests for antibodies, the scientists observed that subjects had no lingering symptoms, save for potential loss of smell or taste. 

About two-thirds of participants reported that they either had an impaired sense of smell or taste. About 58% of participants said that infection altered both senses. Compared to people who never lost taste or smell, the people who did lose those senses were twice as likely to test positive for virus-fighting antibodies. 

Fever, Cough, Runny Nose Not Linked To Antibody Protection

In 2020, the most predominant COVID-19 symptoms were fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, and difficulty breathing. Interestingly enough, those symptoms did not have an influence on the presence of antibodies in people who recovered from acute infection. That suggests, according to the study, that loss of taste and smell may predict that you have a longer-lasting ability to fight the virus. 

According to the researchers that conducted the study, one limitation is that they relied on patients to accurately recall and report loss of taste or smell during infection. Another drawback from the study is that test subjects only reported loss of taste because their sense of smell changed. Scientists confirm that loss of smell can alter taste, which can compromise a person’s ability to distinguish the flavors in food they eat. Finally, the study wasn’t a controlled experiment to prove whether or not loss of taste and smell directly reduced risk of reinfection.

Do Antibodies Help Prevent COVID-19 Reinfection?

The study had limitations, but the findings are similar to other research on the presence of antibodies after a bout of COVID-19. A 2021 study found that people with negative antibody tests were 10 times more likely to get a second COVID-19 infection after three months. A similar study observed individuals from three to six months after a mild COVID-19 infection. The results indicated that everyone with antibodies did not get reinfected. In fact, nearly every single participant in that study retained high levels of antibodies after six months. 

In conclusion, this information may be useful in patient counseling, but more research is necessary to fully understand antibody protection. Additionally, COVID-19 infection differs from person to person, meaning one person may have higher antibody levels than someone who experienced the same symptoms. According to the preliminary studies, though, loss of taste or smell from COVID-19 infection may lower your risk of reinfection.

SHARE:

The post Lost Taste And Smell From COVID-19? Your Reinfection Risk May Be Lower appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

For more than two years, the world has seen the evolution of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19. From people on ventilators to asymptomatic carriers, COVID-19 affects everyone differently. We’ve also seen breakthrough cases among vaccinated individuals and reinfection among the unvaccinated and vaccinated. It continues to be an evolving situation, as do the top symptoms. 

The UK-based Zoe Health Study (formerly the COVID Symptom Study) recently identified the most common COVID-19 symptoms among current infections. This study based the findings on the information from more than four million people who used a special app to report signs of infection. The recent analysis found that infections from omicron sub-variants result in symptoms that mimic those of the common cold or flu. Symptoms may vary depending on vaccination status, underlying health conditions, and overall health. 

Coronavirus symptoms from earlier variants now rank lower on the list of the most common symptoms. Loss of smell (or other sensory changes from COVID-19), shortness of breath, and fever are less common among newer infections. And although vaccinated individuals can still contract COVID-19, the study found that the symptoms were much more mild among them, or that they experienced very few symptoms. Additionally, vaccinated individuals got better more quickly. 

Top COVID-19 Symptoms Among Those Who’ve Received Two Vaccine Doses

• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Blocked nose
• Persistent cough
• Headache

Researchers in the Zoe study found that vaccinated people who tested positive for COVID-19 reported sneezing. If you are vaccinated and start sneezing a lot without explanation, consider getting a COVID test as you may be infected. This will help reduce the risk of spreading the virus to those around you, some of whom may be in worse health than others. 

Top COVID-19 Symptoms Among Those Who’ve Had One Vaccine Dose

• Headache
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Persistent cough

Zoe study editors observed that persistent cough was one of the original symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Among the most recent data, though, it ranks lower than sneezing and runny nose, two symptoms that were originally thought to be unrelated to COVID-19 infection.

Top COVID-19 Symptoms Among The Unvaccinated

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Fever
• Persistent cough

According to the Zoe study, loss of smell is still in the top 10 symptoms for unvaccinated individuals who contract COVID-19. It ranks at number nine, but shortness of breath (an original symptom) now ranks at number 30. 

Why Have The Top Symptoms Changed?

The data from the Zoe study is consistent with what many clinicians have observed in COVID-19 patients over the past few months. Why the shift in symptoms is not entirely clear, though. Infectious disease specialists think that the change in top symptoms is multifactorial. The virus has evolved over time in order to maximize transmission and higher levels of immunity in the population (attributed to vaccination and prior infection). 

Cough, Cold, Or Flu? It May Be COVID-19

We covered that symptoms of recent omicron infections tend to mimic those of the common cold or flu. Because of that, people who experience those symptoms may not think that they have COVID, especially since they weren’t common symptoms earlier in the pandemic. If you do experience those symptoms, especially if they are respiratory symptoms, it is wise to test to confirm infection. COVID-19 is still a relevant illness, despite the fact that nearly all restrictions have been lifted. Take care of your health, get a new bivalent COVID-19 booster this fall if you want to, and be safe during the upcoming holiday season. 

SHARE:

The post The Top COVID-19 Symptoms Have Changed appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Stopping to smell the roses may be difficult if you lost your sense of smell as a result of developing COVID-19. Among the many symptoms, temporary loss of taste and smell were the most annoying, as they can negatively affect mood. To combat a prolonged loss of smell after recovering from COVID-19, many people seek out ways to cope with or safely regain this sense.

How Did Loss Of Smell Happen From COVID-19?

An olfactory loss can result from nasal allergies, sinusitis, and viral respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. When the virus enters the body, it binds to an ACE2 receptor, which is a specific protein. ACE2 receptors also exist on supporting cells within the olfactory system in the upper nose. Damaging these receptors can cause a loss of smell. Additionally, inflammation surrounding nasal tissues can impair nerve function and a person’s ability to smell. 

Because smell is an integral component of life, it’s important not to neglect the loss of this sense. Without a proper sense of smell, it’s difficult to detect about 80-90% of the flavor in food. Losing the sense of smell extends beyond an ability to enjoy food and drink, though. According to July-August 2021 research, about 43% of adults who lost their sense of smell from COVID-19 reported depression. About 70-75% of people will be able to recover their sense of smell out of the blue, but the remaining 25% may not be so lucky.

What Is Smell Training?

Olfactory retraining, or smell training, is a decade-old concept that has regained interest as a possible treatment for smell loss from COVID-19. The first helpful evidence about smell therapy emerged in a 2009 preliminary study. 40 patients experiencing a loss of smell exposed themselves to four scents two times a day for 12 weeks. The scents included rose, lemon, eucalyptus and cloves. At the conclusion of the study, the participants who used smell training had better odor identification than those who did not get the therapy.

Smell training is not merely the simple act of smelling specific fragrances. One of the key factors of smell training is to focus on what the scent represents while smelling it. Not only do you retrain your nose, but you also retrain your brain to recognize smells. If you smell roses, for example, visualize what they smell like and where you would find them in the world. Essentially, visual imagery that stimulates the scent may help improve smell over time. 

How Does Smell Training Work?

According to doctors, the exact biological mechanism by which smell training helps people is not entirely clear. There are, however, some possible theories. As stated earlier in this article, viral illnesses like COVID-19 can damage olfactory receptors in the sinuses. Additionally, these illnesses may damage the cells in the olfactory bulb, a collection of nerve cells on the underside of the brain. In order to regain sense of smell, you have to form new neurons and neuronal connections in the olfactory processing system. 

Smell training aims to stimulate the sense of smell and assist with recovery. Using physical and psychological elements helps reteach the olfactory system. People can ultimately use memory and experience to train nerves to come back to life, and then they can smell again.

Does It Work For People Who Had COVID-19?

Although smell training and loss of smell as a result of COVID-19 is a new area of study, it may be worth a shot. A 2020 review study looked at 36 past studies about smell training for virus-related loss of smell, but not COVID-19 specifically. The authors found that smell training could be useful at regaining smell. Additionally, a small preliminary study published in January 2021 looked at 27 people who had persistent smell loss for about five weeks post COVID-19 diagnosis. 

Out of those 27 people, nine were given 10 days of oral corticosteroids and olfactory training. The remaining 18 participants only received olfactory training. Some people from the olfactory-training-only group experienced improvements in sense of smell 10 weeks later. Those who receive smell training alongside the corticosteroids saw a significant improvement in smell. More research is still necessary, as this is a relatively new area of study. Only time will tell how smell therapy benefits COVID-19 patients with prolonged loss of smell.

SHARE:

The post Can Smell Training Help People Regain Smell After COVID-19? appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Most people who contract COVID-19 do not become severely ill, and they get over the symptoms relatively quickly. Occasionally, it’s possible for some symptoms to persist for months on end, even if the person didn’t get very ill. In fact, new research from the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies residual symptoms as long COVID, which is more common than health experts originally thought.

On October 6th, 2021, the WHO announced the official definition of long COVID. The medical community acknowledges that some people experience lingering symptoms for four or more weeks after developing COVID-19. There has not been a formal definition for this phenomenon until now, which may or may not require hospitalization. Many of the long-term effects include brain fog, respiratory symptoms, and fatigue. 

What Is Long COVID?

Long COVID refers to people who continue to experience symptoms of COVID-19. This includes people who do not fully recover for several weeks or months after initial symptoms. In the past, some researchers described this phenomenon as post-COVID-19 condition, but now long COVID is the official name. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can’t be explained by any other cause than COVID-19 development. Although surveys identified tens or even hundreds of symptoms, the most common ones are:

• Changes in taste or smell
• Extreme fatigue
• Problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or heart palpitations
• Joint pain

What Causes Long COVID?

At this point in time, health experts do not know what causes long COVID. A possible theory is that the infection makes certain people’s immune systems kick into overdrive. At that point, the immune system attacks not only the virus, but also the body’s own tissues. This can happen in people who have powerful immune responses. The virus gets into the cells and can cause damage, which may explain the lingering symptoms, according to medical professionals. Cell damage can lead to brain fog or loss of taste/smell, whereas blood vessel damage can lead to long-term heart, brain, and lung problems. 

Another potential theory is that fragments of the virus remain dormant in the body, becoming reactivated at a later point in time. This is common in other viruses, including the Epstein Barr virus or the herpes virus. There isn’t much evidence for this happening with COVID-19, though. The assumption is that there are several contributing factors, but it also has to do with each person’s internal activity. 

Prevalence Of Long COVID

A 2020 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that it can take weeks to overcome COVID-19 symptoms. It’s possible for young and old adults, and for people with no chronic medical conditions, to return to their usual state of health. To put it in perspective, about 90% of people discharged from the hospital with influenza generally recover within two weeks. 

As time goes on, more and more evidence suggests that people who contract SARS-CoV-2 continue to experience COVID-19 symptoms. The amount of people who experience these prolonged symptoms is still unclear. Data from the COVID Symptoms Study app, however, suggests that one in 10 people with COVID-19 experiences symptoms for three weeks or longer. Similar results were found in data from the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics. That means that there may be more than five million cases of long COVID at this time. 

There is no test to diagnose long COVID. Medical experts say that the diagnosis is based on exclusion, ruling out all possible causes for the symptoms that each person experiences. Before concluding the diagnosis to be long COVID, doctors rule out things like diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and even iron deficiency. A blood test for long COVID may become available in the future, and more sophisticated tools currently exist in research settings. 

SHARE:

The post Here’s What You Should Know About Long COVID-19 appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, every sneeze, cough, or sniffle can cause immense panic. You may spin into an anxiety spiral, wondering, “Do I have COVID-19? How bad will it be? Do I need to get a test right away?” Given that fall is knocking on the door, along with the allergies that come with the season, it’s important to know the difference between allergy symptoms and those of COVID-19.

There are millions of Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. Some allergy symptoms are closer to those of the flu or common cold. More often than not, allergy symptoms occur because of inflammation. It’s very common for the body to overreact to pollen, mold, or dust, especially in the fall and spring.

Symptoms Of Fall Allergies

Beginning in early August, ragweed releases pollen and causes an array of allergy symptoms until early October. During the fall season, it’s also common for mold spores to grow as trees shed their leaves. For some people, the decaying leaves on the ground can cause allergic reactions. Seasonal allergies can range from mild to severe as the immune system releases histamines. This natural reaction results in runny nose, nasal drip, water eyes, or itchy eyes and throat. The most common allergy symptom that isn’t likely with COVID-19 is sneezing. Reactions that last for a couple of weeks and occur in the fall months are most likely allergies. See the list of common fall allergy symptoms below:

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Water and itchy eyes
• Ear congestion
• Itchy sinuses, throat, or ear canals
• Postnasal drainage
• Mild fatigue
• Coughing
• Headache

Symptoms Of COVID-19

COVID-19, which is the illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, spreads via respiratory droplets. People expel these droplets when breathing, sneezing, coughing, or talking. If people are near an infected person, they can inhale those droplets and become infected. If an infected person coughs or sneezes on a surface, someone who touches that surface and then touches their mouth, eyes, or nose can contract the virus. COVID-19 spreads rapidly in large crowds, especially when proper social distancing and masking practices are not in place. With the more contagious delta and mu variants in place, it’s even more important to practice proper safety measures. The most common symptoms that appear 2-14 days after exposure are below:

• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath
• Severe fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Cough
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

How To Determine Allergies Or COVID-19

In general, the key factors that differentiate symptoms of COVID-19 and allergies are fever and body aches. It’s very rare for fever or body aches to be allergic reactions or symptoms in allergy sufferers. One also has to pay attention to time line and past history of symptoms. People with allergies tend to have a long history of seasonal allergies, so they know what to expect. Additionally, allergies are more long-lasting than the viral symptoms. 

If you take allergy medication, the symptoms subside. For example, itchy eyes are very common during allergy season, but they are not a symptom of viral illness. Itchy eyes can also go away fairly quickly with allergy medication. If you are worried about potential COVID-19 illness as opposed to seasonal allergies, there are many testing options available to the public. From rapid antigen and antibody tests to nasal PCR tests and cheek swabs, there is no shortage of COVID-19 tests. You can readily find them, and you may even find at-home test kits in some grocery stores. 

SHARE:

The post Fall Allergies Or COVID-19? How To Tell The Difference appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health organizations and officials made many common symptoms aware to the public. Coughing, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle aches, and new loss of taste or smell were/are common physical symptoms. Roughly 25% of people who contracted COVID-19 developed several neurological symptoms, the primary of which was brain fog. 

What Is Brain Fog?

Brain fog is not a scientific or medical term. People use this term to describe feelings of sluggish or fuzzy thinking. When a person experiences brain fog, it’s very common to feel like the mind is slipping, or it simply isn’t as sharp. Many people experience it from time to time, for example, after a long flight or getting over the flu. Brain fog typically goes away and thinking returns to normal. But what if it doesn’t? 

COVID-19 Brain Fog

Some people who survived COVID-19 illness entered an acute recovery phase. They still experienced symptoms for weeks, or even months, after initial infection. Many reported lingering brain fog, which negatively impacted memory, focus, and overall cognition. There are those who survived COVID-19 infection and continue to experience brain fog. Compared to other viral infections, the novel coronavirus infection seemed to have a higher rate of mood or cognitive slowing. 

Why Does The Brain Fog?

Researchers continue to investigate the cause of brain fog in people who’ve had COVID-19. A preliminary theory is that the physiological and psychological factors contribute to this phenomenon. Once the virus enters a person’s system, it enters cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Because the virus is neuro-invasive, it can enter brain tissue. Some studies found that COVID-19 survivors developed encephalopathy, which is a general term that refers to brain damage or disease. 

Another study in January 2021 found that some COVID-19 survivors had higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in the fluid surrounding the brain. This study examined cases several weeks after COVID-19 infection. The immune system produces cytokines, and too many can cause chronic inflammation. Some post-COVID-19 brains even had changes to the hippocampus, which may impair cognitive abilities. 

One researcher believes that the higher levels of inflammation created by the immune system are more responsible for brain fog than the virus itself. Researchers found that an overactive immune response was indicative of COVID-19 infection. That led to breathing problems or hospitalization from infection. By theorizing that inflammation is more so the culprit than the virus, inflammatory levels in the body would have to be so high that they reach the brain. Perhaps the immune cells chase the virus into the brain, but this is merely a theory. It’s also possible that the virus reaches the brain after entering the nose. It then crosses the blood-brain barrier. Again, more research is necessary on this theory. 

Can Anything Clear Up Brain Fog?

In order to remedy brain fog that results from COVID-19, it’s best to make healthy lifestyle changes. There are several activities and habits that promote healthier cognitive function. The following tips may help improve mental function if you experience ongoing brain fog. 

Get Sufficient Sleep

Sleep researchers say that it’s best for adults to sleep between seven to eight hours every night. During sleep, the body and brain can eliminate toxins and work towards repairing and healing. Make sleep a priority!

Avoid Alcohol & Tobacco

Alcohol and tobacco products tend to raise inflammatory levels in the body. If the belief is that inflammation is the primary culprit of brain fog, eliminate these substances to decrease inflammation. Additionally, they can have adverse effects on the brain.

Engage In Aerobic Exercise

It’s possible that you won’t be able to accelerate to full throttle right out of the gate. Take your time and start slow with different aerobic exercises. A few minutes at a time will eventually turn in to 30 minutes a day, five days per week. There is a direct connection between regular exercise and improved brain health.

Follow A Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet includes a wide range of nutrients and heart-healthy fats. Some of the primary foods include olive oil, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts & seeds, and whole grains. Many of these foods have anti-inflammatory and brain-boosting properties that may improve focus and thinking. 

SHARE:

The post Brain Fog: A Lingering Symptom From COVID-19 Illness appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

With the reopening of gyms and continuous rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, people are eager to get back to regular exercise. If you’re waiting until you receive the vaccine to head back to the gym, you might be wondering how long you should wait before exercising post-shot(s). Is it necessary to wait a certain amount before breaking a sweat? It’s good to stay active and get in some exercise, but health experts say that it may depend on how you feel. 

It’s a well-known fact that the most common side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine is site pain. This means that your arm or muscle is sore in the area where you receive the shot. There is also occasional swelling or redness, but this varies from person to person. It’s important to remember that these symptoms are not specific to this vaccine. People who receive flu shots or tetanus boosters in their upper arm can experience that same arm pain. The pain can linger for a few days after receiving the shot. So is it wise to get a pump in if you still experience some pain?

Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects

If you plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine, keep in mind that some side effects may be in store for you. Some people experience lethargy or muscle soreness the morning after, while others have a fever and chills. There are some, though, who are briefly affected and then do not experience any side effects. The point is that it varies depending on your age, gender, and health. Common side effects include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Arm pain or swelling at injection site
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Grogginess 

Can You Exercise After Receiving The Vaccine?

The short answer is: yes, so long as you feel up to it. Of course, health experts don’t have specific guidelines for post-shot exercise. The main takeaway for everyone is that they need to use common sense, paying attention to how they feel. In the immediate hours and days after receiving the shot, it will be easy to know how the body reacts and feels. An interview with many registered dietitians, who follow an active workout regimen, catalogued different reactions. Some were more prone to symptoms, while others were able to resume regular exercise the next day. These dietitians recommended that people modify workouts to avoid injury and encourage immune recovery.

Will The Vaccine Affect Your Workouts?

The two primary vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer, involve two doses. Several reports from people who received the Pfizer vaccine noted different reactions. One female dietitian, for instance, continued her same workout regimen after the first dose. After the second dose, however, she was unable to exercise for two days. Another nutritionist only experienced mild symptoms after both the first and second dose. She was listened to her body, rested for two days after each shot, and then resumed her regular workouts. 

Some dietitians and nutritionists who received the Moderna vaccine reported mild site pain and no extreme or mild fatigue. One nutritionist had mild arm pain, but she only waited one day before resuming her regular workouts. The injection site pain did not inhibit her strength or physical ability. A different nutritionist had no real fatigue after the first injection and was able to resume her workouts without any problems. She has yet to receive the second dose. 

Is It Dangerous To Workout After A COVID-19 Vaccine?

Health experts agree that there is nothing dangerous about exercising after receiving the vaccine. Even though you may experience some uncomfortable side effects, they should subside and you can resume workouts after. As a rule of thumb, it’s always best to listen to your body. If you don’t feel like your normal self, wait it out and rest. The body’s natural way to rejuvenate is by resting, so take your time if you aren’t 100%. Consider lighter workouts like yoga, walking, or even a long stretching session. Lastly, an infectious disease specialist noted that there’s nothing stopping the body from exercising post vaccination. If you can tolerate the side effects and make it through the workout, that’s completely fine and safe. 

SHARE:

The post Exercising After COVID-19 Vaccine: What You Need To Know appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

The pandemic forced many people to isolate from their families, primarily to keep parents or grandparents safe. If they have been following the rules, older adults have had a difficult time being separated from families for about a year. This is why there is so much excitement about the COVID-19 vaccines. But does getting the vaccine mean that life immediately goes back to normal? Experts advise against this way of thinking. 

Health care workers, the elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions are currently being vaccinated. That doesn’t mean that everyone is vaccinated, though, and experts say that precautions are still necessary for this reason. Vaccinated people have the mindset that they can hang out without masks or social distancing. According to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, it is only 95% effective at preventing infection, while Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is 94.1% effective. This means that the risk of contracting the virus is very low, but it’s still possible, especially if you hang around non-vaccinated people. 

What’s The Best Way To Think About The Vaccine? 

People seem to have two ways that they currently look at the vaccine: life before the vaccine, and life after the vaccine. Well, there’s also the large group of people who seemingly don’t care about the virus or vaccine and just do whatever they want. There is no immediate transition or switch that flips everything back to what we once knew. Epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists advise people to think about the vaccines as a gradual progression. 

You can’t just go visit grandma once she gets the vaccine, especially if you didn’t receive it yet. Additionally, you can’t just hang out in a cabin with nine friends after you all get the vaccine and think that everything is dandy. It’s very possible to contract the virus between the first and second dose of the vaccine. After the second shot, it takes ab out two weeks for the body to build up its protection. Even then, it’s still possible to contract the virus. That’s why experts suggest that people continue to wear masks and practice social distancing. You can read more about that by clicking here. 

The Three Stages Of 2021

It can be beneficial to separate 2021 into three different stages. This isn’t how the world will end up; rather, it’s more about how to gradually integrate yourself back into the world. During stage one, you can engage safely with your close friends or family members, so long as all of you are vaccinated. What you can do during stage two will depend on your city’s policies and COVID-19 numbers. The state, county, or city has to feel that herd immunity is achieved, meaning that enough people are safe or protected from infection in your area. Stage three is all about international herd immunity. Just so people are aware, it’s unlikely that international herd immunity is achievable during 2021. 

Health experts can theorize and give their thoughts of how things will go, but everything comes down to how effective the vaccines are at preventing symptomatic disease. Will they protect against infection and transmission as well? These are the unknown answers that we will only understand farther down the line. 

Can You Hang Out Immediately After Being Vaccinated?

Let’s give the example that five relatively healthy friends receive both shots of the vaccine. Is it possible to rent out a house in the desert and do everything together without masks? Some argue that this is completely fine, while others say that there is potential worry. Vaccines do not take effect immediately. It’s imperative to wait at least two weeks before you decide to gather with anyone. Virologists don’t know how the vaccine will work in each person, and that’s what worries them. There is no 100% guarantee that every person will develop a protective response. Neither of the primary vaccines assure 100% protection, so there is still a chance that vaccinated friends can develop symptoms around each other. This all depends on who else they hang out with. 

The weekend getaway or trip to gather all of your family in one area is not entirely safe. Epidemiologists agree that we will not be in a zero risk situation for quite some time. The best thing that we can do is slow down to a minimal risk situation. That’s what we are trying to do right now. Until then, practice the same protective measures even after you receive the vaccine. Wear masks indoors, strive for small outdoor, socially distanced gatherings, and keep gatherings limited to a bubble of vaccinated people. 

SHARE:

The post Is It Safe To Hang Out Once You Get The COVID-19 Vaccine? appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

The novel coronavirus shows no signs of slowing as it continues to spread like wildfire in the United States. We are now experiencing the aftermath of all that holiday travel, which experts warned against last year. Did you know that over one million Americans boarded planes the day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned against holiday travel? 

It’s understandable that people wanted to get away or see family for the holidays. That’s been the routine forever, but sometimes it’s necessary to adapt to the changing times. It’s hard to do this when pandemic fatigue is taking a toll on millions of people. The desire to see family and be with loved ones or visit new and exciting destinations is a risk people were willing to take. Unfortunately, this meant that people submerged their concerns about contracting COVID-19 below their desire to travel. 

Now, if you decide to travel in or out of the United States, keep in mind that many states recently implemented travel restrictions. Many states have face mask mandates in public settings and some states require 10-day quarantine upon arrival. Additionally, some states require proof of a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to departure. That last rule is contingent with the travel restrictions that various countries put in place. Despite these rules, the number of travelers, both domestic and international, increases with each passing week. Airlines also started to increase capacity on planes and do not always block off middle seats.

How Safe Is Air Travel?

Health experts weighed in on this topic to assess the safety for travelers. Infectious disease, aerospace, and health care experts conducted studies and concluded that exposure to COVID-19 and other aerosolized pathogens on a plane is very low. In fact, one passenger would have to sit next to an infected passenger on a plane for 54 hours to become infected through the air. This number was recently removed from the study because it was misinterpreted by people. 

The good news is that airplane flights do not fall under the “super-spreader” event category. The unfortunate news is that there are many unknown factors about contracting the virus on a plane. Epidemiologists and aviation experts can only learn so much from the numbers, but the numbers don’t reveal everything. A major problem lies in people boarding planes when they are already positive. This means that they are ignoring symptoms, or they lie about testing positive in the new pre-boarding health screening questionnaire. 

In order to accurately understand how rapidly COVID-19 spreads on a plane, every passenger would need to get tested immediately before and after the flight. All passengers would then need to undergo several tests over a couple weeks during quarantine to ensure they didn’t experience symptoms after landing. 

All Experts Agree That Air Quality On Planes Is Well-Filtered

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, airplane manufacturers installed HEPA filters for efficient circulation on commercial aircrafts. While the HEPA filter doesn’t make the air you breathe 100% clean and virus-free, it does provide much cleaner air than restaurants, stores, bars, and your house. The HEPA filters work to filter particulate matter, trapping about 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns. Several aerospace engineers said that these new aircraft filtration systems almost mirror the filtration that happens in hospital operating rooms. 

How Does Air Flow On A Plane?

Air flows from the ceiling of the aircraft’s cabin in a downward motion. The speed at which it flows is about one yard per second, and then it exits below the window seats. Statistically, most planes recycle 25 – 35% of cabin air. The recycled air travels through the HEPA filters, which trap potential virus particles. The other 70 – 75% of air leaves the cabin every couple minutes. This means that new air enters the cabin with the recycled air every two to five minutes. This all depends on the size of the plane, though. 

These new filtration systems are wonderful, but distancing and masking are necessary to reduce the risk of spreading. This is true whether you are on a plane or not. Please keep this in mind if you intend to fly, and make sure that you take the necessary steps to ensure your safety when you arrive at your destination, and when you return home. 

SHARE:

The post Is It Safe To Fly? Here’s What The Experts Say appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.