Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, medical and health questions have flooded in from readers.
Where is it safe to go, and how does the virus spread? Who is at higher risk? How do I keep myself and my family safe?
From day one, our reporters began looking for answers.
This week, we went back to one of the experts who previously helped us: Dr. Dennis Brown, who heads Quinnipiac University’s physician assistant program. Brown specializes in emergency management and community health.
Although the busy professor did not have time to sit down for a video interview early this week, he answered some questions via email.
Many of the questions came directly from readers, while reporters came up with some of their own inquiries based on what they had learned in the field.
Question: Is it unsafe for people with COVID-19 to take ibuprofen?
Answer: When it comes to using ibuprofen when you have COVID-19, medical recommendations vary, according to Brown.
Because the drug works by decreasing the body’s inflammatory response and that response is part of the immune system’s reaction to try to kill the virus, some have expressed concern that the virus could do more harm in patients taking ibuprofen, Brown said.
To be safe, the professor recommended using acetaminophen (Tylenol) to ease fever and pains.
Q: Can multiple patients use the same respirator? If so, are there drawbacks?
A: Ventilators are designed to serve one person at a time, according to Brown.
While they can be adjusted to serve more than one patient, that measure is only taken in serious emergencies, when there are no other ventilators are available, Brown said.
There are drawbacks, especially as the best ventilator settings for each patient varies, he continued.
Q: How long after recovery from coronavirus would a test be able find a trace in your system?
A: “Most recent data is suggesting that people are still shedding the virus up to three to five days after a severe illness,” Brown said.
Q: If you’re not leaving the house at all, is it still necessary to disinfect all surfaces inside daily?
A: While a full disinfection is probably not necessary, keeping the house clean is a great way to get rid of other bacteria and viruses that are still around, and to prevent illnesses such as the common cold, according to Brown.
Q: Should blood donors be tested for COVID-19?
A: If the donor does not show symptoms, they will not be tested at this time, Brown said.
Anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 should self-isolate for two weeks, according to Brown. Blood donors should then inform the Red Cross about any possible exposure when they give blood, he said.
Q: Are people with well-controlled diabetes still at very high risk for severe COVID-19?
A: “Diabetics are more susceptible to having more severe infections because of a decrease in their immune system’s response,” Brown said.
Even someone whose diabetes is well controlled will not react to stress or illness in the same way as someone who does not suffer from the disease, according to Brown.
Q: My son has henoch schonlein purpura. Does this make COVID-19 more serious for him?
A: Brown could not find any literature on the topic, he said.
Given how many unknowns there are surrounding the virus, he recommended that the reader contact their paediatrician or haematologist.
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Coronavirus-Q-A-Well-controlled-diabetes-and-15186531.php
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