Professor Malyshev appreciated two striking signs of a new strain of coronavirus

With the beginning of the school year, Russia is waiting for the sixth and quite powerful wave of coronavirus. In some regions, however, it has already arrived. The symptoms of infection are more pronounced, the consequences of intoxication of the body are more pronounced. It is worth paying attention, in particular, to an ache in the lower back, pain in the eyes, nausea. The infectious disease specialist, Professor Nikolai Malyshev, spoke about this in an interview with MK.

– Nikolai Alexandrovich, with various infectious diseases, with the same flu, there are symptoms similar to coronavirus and other infections. How to distinguish influenza from a new strain of coronavirus?

– No way. People think that the more they read and watch videos, the more they know. And they seem to be able to diagnose a wide range of diseases. However, confirmation should still be made by the doctor based on the totality of laboratory parameters and the clinical picture. No other way. This is the syndrome of a third-year student, when he seems to have knowledge, but so far they are scattered, insufficient for making a correct diagnosis.

– How is the treatment of influenza different from the treatment of a new strain of coronavirus?

– Both diseases are classified as acute respiratory viral infections, so they have a lot in common: at least intoxication and fever. It seems? It seems. Symptomatic treatment is the same, but etiotropic (aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease) is different.

– Do I need to go to the hospital if the temperature is above 38 degrees?

– If the doctor suggests hospitalization, do not refuse. At home, without constant medical supervision, the outcome can be the most terrible.

– Suppose the doctor did not see that the patient had bad symptoms. And the patient says – send me to the hospital. Can a doctor refuse him hospitalization?

– If the doctor sees that the patient is set for hospitalization, he will not refuse him. I have more than fifty years of experience, but I have never heard that someone who wants to go to the hospital was refused. Here, on the contrary, there is another problem – few people want to go to the hospital even in serious condition. Well, if relatives insist.

– Unusual symptoms of the new strain – back pain and pain in the eyes. What is it connected with?

– I would not say that these are new symptoms, they are just more pronounced. Pain in the eyeballs, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting can be a consequence of intoxication. And these syndromes occur in many diseases. With an increase in unpleasant symptoms, I certainly advise you to call a doctor at home. It is not necessary to decide on your own whether to be examined or not, let the doctor make this decision. And in no case should you go to the clinic on your own, even if a relative will give you a ride in a car. You, willingly or unwittingly, will infect a considerable number of patients with the infection.

– On the nose of the academic year. Is a surge of coronavirus and other infectious diseases expected?

– Of course. Usually at this time there is an increase in respiratory infections, including coronavirus. But there are also many other infections – we have about one and a half thousand of them. Some are rare, some are not so rare. And you are all about one …

– However, people are most afraid of the coronavirus, even the flu has gone to the backyard.

– What people hear from all the irons, that’s what they’re afraid of. The same rotovirus infection is very common. But, since it flows quite easily, it is the least talked about. Although it can also cause various complications later, leading to a serious deterioration in health. Or take adenovirus infections. They are not very common, but 18-year-olds also die because of them. They just don’t write about such infections, but they write about the coronavirus.

– How to prevent infection?

– There is no absolute possibility not to get sick, but nevertheless, vaccination against both the flu and the coronavirus reduces this probability. Don’t forget to wear masks and maintain social distancing. The incidence of influenza, by the way, has decreased precisely thanks to masks. People wash their hands more often. The general epidemic prerequisites are the same for all infections. And if we fight with one, then we minimize the other.

– However, masks still do not fully save from coronavirus.

– Let’s do it. First of all, masks reduce the risk of contracting coronavirus. And why don’t they save them – but because where they are needed, they are not worn, and where they are not needed, they are put on for some reason. I sometimes see motorists who are alone in a car wearing a mask. But the same motorists, when they come to work or to a meeting with friends at a restaurant, take off their masks. I’m not talking about the huge flow of passengers of public transport, metro, buses, without masks. It is obvious: where there is a crowd of people, it is necessary to wear a mask. If you can maintain social distancing, do so.

– Is it true that the constant wearing of a mask is also not very good for the body?

– On the one hand, yes – there is no need to wear a mask in open spaces where there are few people. Wearing protective equipment makes sense only where they really help. Secondly, you need to change the mask at least every two hours.

I will give a typical mistake of the townspeople. A man rode the subway for 30-40 minutes, then went outside and put it in his pocket or bag. And then he went into the store and put it on again – while which side, he no longer understands. And on himself all the muck collected before, and directs. It seems to be how much we talk about it – but people follow badly. No need to spare money for new masks, since they have fallen in price. Spare money – destroy health.