Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Nov 16, 2024 5:12:47 GMT
Staying vigilant against COVID-19 - Published Nov 15, 2024
Pat Langley issues a personal reminder for dental practices amid a new COVID-19 variant.
As someone who recently navigated a COVID-19 infection, I’m keen to share my experience with dental practice teams. If I can help even one person avoid COVID’s clutches, I’ll be happy! My journey with the virus was a stark reminder that we can’t afford to lower our guard, especially with a highly infectious new variant circulating.
I’m aware that as life has more or less returned to normal, it’s easy to become complacent. The turning point for me came when I was preparing for a long-awaited family reunion. I woke up with mild symptoms of a few sniffles and a bit of a cough that I thought were my hayfever. With elderly relatives on the guest list, I decided it would be prudent to take a COVID-19 test as a precaution. To my surprise and dismay, the test came back positive.
Within a day, my mild symptoms were no longer mild, and I fell prey to a continuous cough, sneezing with a constantly running nose, and almost paralysing fatigue. I was so exhausted that even getting out of bed was a struggle. It was two days of misery before I began to see any improvement.
Reflecting on this experience, I reminded myself just how vulnerable we still are to COVID-19, despite vaccinations and previous exposures. The new variant, more transmissible than earlier ones, does not discriminate. Even those who have taken precautions, like me, can find themselves unexpectedly sidelined by this relentless virus.
Pat Langley issues a personal reminder for dental practices amid a new COVID-19 variant.
As someone who recently navigated a COVID-19 infection, I’m keen to share my experience with dental practice teams. If I can help even one person avoid COVID’s clutches, I’ll be happy! My journey with the virus was a stark reminder that we can’t afford to lower our guard, especially with a highly infectious new variant circulating.
I’m aware that as life has more or less returned to normal, it’s easy to become complacent. The turning point for me came when I was preparing for a long-awaited family reunion. I woke up with mild symptoms of a few sniffles and a bit of a cough that I thought were my hayfever. With elderly relatives on the guest list, I decided it would be prudent to take a COVID-19 test as a precaution. To my surprise and dismay, the test came back positive.
Within a day, my mild symptoms were no longer mild, and I fell prey to a continuous cough, sneezing with a constantly running nose, and almost paralysing fatigue. I was so exhausted that even getting out of bed was a struggle. It was two days of misery before I began to see any improvement.
Reflecting on this experience, I reminded myself just how vulnerable we still are to COVID-19, despite vaccinations and previous exposures. The new variant, more transmissible than earlier ones, does not discriminate. Even those who have taken precautions, like me, can find themselves unexpectedly sidelined by this relentless virus.