Fever and coronavirus are realities that go hand in hand, but it is important to qualify this statement. Not all cases of COVID-19 generate symptoms, nor are every person with a fever classified as ill. That is why it is important to monitor this symptom closely.
When there is also fever and coronavirus other symptoms, such as a dry cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue, must be present. Indeed, this set of manifestations does not always correspond to COVID-19, since there are many forms of flu or cold in which they are present.
It is important not to panic if the temperature rises, but it is also not appropriate to ignore this symptom. The indicated thing would be, first of all, to verify that there is indeed a fever, and then monitor this indication. If there is fever and coronavirus, the symptoms will remain and tend to get worse.
fever and coronavirus
Due to the pandemic, doctors have warned of the importance of remaining vigilant for COVID-19 symptoms. As is known, fever and coronavirus go hand in hand, therefore an increase in temperature above normal should be considered suspicious in all cases.
What to do if fever is detected? The best thing to do is follow. If your temperature remains elevated for more than three hours, you should contact a doctor within 24 hours. This is especially important if a person has heart problems, breathing problems, diabetes, or another chronic disease.
While you can talk to your doctor, it’s best to isolate yourself and lighten your clothes. If the fever rises, you can take a hot shower or apply cold packs, ice to your armpits or groin, and drink plenty of fluids.
It is not convenient to self-medicate; Although medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen have not been found to cause difficulties, it is best to have this checked out by a health professional in any case. Under no circumstances should antibiotics be taken.
What temperature do you need to worry about?
Body temperature is regulated by the hypothalamus; If there are viruses or bacteria entering the body, this area spawns pyrogenic substances, which when circulating through the body lead to an increase in temperature. This is almost always accompanied by shivering, an increased heart rate, restlessness, or a stupor.
Anyway, the temperature of the body It varies from person to person and from one hour of the day to another. In a person with a normal schedule, the normal thing is that there is more heat in the body between 16 and 20 hours. Then it begins to decrease, until 6 in the morning.
Now, which temperature can be considered normal and which indicates fever? At the moment, experts think so from 37 ºC you can talk about fever, which is a continuous, mild fever. Sometimes it is of nervous origin, but in the context of a pandemic it must be faced as a warning sign.
Doctors also point out that a temperature between 37 ºC and 37.8 ºC corresponds to fever, and above that range we already speak of fever. Any increase in temperature that lasts for more than three hours should be considered a sign of infection.
How to correctly measure the temperature
Thermometers, in many parts, have become rare and expensive commodities. Outside of the high-end thermometers, there are several homemade ones, but not all have the same degree of reliability or accuracy. At the moment, the most appropriate are galinstan and digital.
The galinstan thermometer is similar to the old mercury one: this has been banned in many countries because it can break in the mouth and cause poisoning. Galinstan is a mixture of gallium, indium and tin, which do not pollute. It is very accurate, but it is not easy to reset and it takes three or four minutes to return the result.
The digital thermometer is very convenient, even if it requires a battery and sometimes it plays very fast, so it’s better to wait a moment. Ear, gun, and pacifier thermometers aren’t as accurate, and they’re also expensive. Application-based ones shouldn’t be used, as they don’t offer greater accuracy.
Some considerations on thermometers, fever and coronavirus
Other aspects to consider when measuring temperature are as follows:
- Ideally, take it twice a day.Hopefully always at the same time. On one of these occasions it is convenient to be next to an open window. A persistent low-grade result or fever may be indicative of coronavirus infection.
- It is more appropriate to measure the temperature in the armpits. The mouth tends to register a higher temperature and drinking a hot drink, or even just talking, can increase the heat in the mouth.
- If the thermometer shows low-grade or low-grade fever, we should do it repeat the temperature measurement two or three times, in the following hours, to confirm the symptom. After that, it’s time to start the medical examination to rule out COVID-19.
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