COVID-19 infection

• Can I talk to a doctor on Gotodoctor.ca about COVID-19 infection?

Yes, Gotodoctor.ca provides virtual care services for COVID-19. An online doctor will take a comprehensive in-depth history and may provide you with prescriptions. Depending on the severity of symptoms, further recommendations will be provided. If a patient shows the symptoms of COVID-19 infection, the doctor will direct him/her to the hospital for further treatment.

• What is COVID-19 infection?

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus^[1]. It mainly spreads through the contact with the infectious droplets of an infected person. Due to the higher survival rate of this virus, its droplets can stay for a long period in the air or on the surfaces when the person coughs, sneezes, exhales or exchanges blood serum^[2]. If you touch the contaminated surface, or live close to the patient, then there will be more chances for this virus to transmit through the routes of eyes, nose and mouth^[3]. 

• What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough and fatigue^[4]. The less common symptoms include loss of taste and smell, sore throat, headache, body pain, conjunctivitis. COVID-19 infection can also result in hearing loss^[5]. A doctor will be able to diagnose COVID-19 infection by identifying characteristic symptoms. Early diagnosis is crucial to prevent rapid deterioration of the patient^[6].    

• How is COVID-19 infection treated?

A doctor decides on treatment after taking a comprehensive history of the patient. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), serological tests should be done to confirm its presence in the body. Anti-pyretic drugs may be prescribed to make the patient free of fever, and pain medications may be prescribed for body aches. Prescriptions for immunity booster supplements may be provided to enhance the immunity of the body^[7-9]. Vaccination is also available to prophylactically control the spread of this virus and to build up the acquired immunity in the body^[10].

• How can an online doctor on Gotodoctor.ca treat COVID-19?

An appointment can be easily made with an online doctor on Gotodoctor.ca. The online doctor will take a comprehensive history of your signs and symptoms and may provide you with prescriptions. If a patient shows the symptoms of COVID-19 infection, the doctor will direct him/her to the hospital for further treatment.

References

1. Organization, W.H., Coronavirus. 2020.
2. Lu, S., et al., Alert for non‐respiratory symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 patients in epidemic period: A case report of familial cluster with three asymptomatic COVID‐19 patients. Journal of medical virology, 2021. 93(1): p. 518-521.
3. Cowling, B.J. and A.E. Aiello, Public health measures to slow community spread of coronavirus disease 2019. The Journal of infectious diseases, 2020. 221(11): p. 1749-1751.
4. Nobel, Y.R., et al., Gastrointestinal symptoms and coronavirus disease 2019: a case-control study from the United States. Gastroenterology, 2020. 159(1): p. 373-375. e2.
5. Dawson, P., et al., Loss of taste and smell as distinguishing symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2021. 72(4): p. 682-685.
6. Lovato, A., C. de Filippis, and G. Marioni, Upper airway symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). American journal of otolaryngology, 2020.
7. Dhahri, A.A., et al., Hybrid Surgical Hot Clinic (HSHC): Evaluation of Surgical Hot Clinic Services during COVID-19 Lockdown. World Journal of Surgery, 2021: p. 1-7.
8. Almathami, H.K.Y., K.T. Win, and E. Vlahu-Gjorgievska, Barriers and Facilitators That Influence Telemedicine-Based, Real-Time, Online Consultation at Patients’ Homes: Systematic Literature Review. J Med Internet Res, 2020. 22(2): p. e16407.
9. Deldar, K., K. Bahaadinbeigy, and S.M. Tara, Teleconsultation and Clinical Decision Making: a Systematic Review. Acta informatica medica : AIM : journal of the Society for Medical Informatics of Bosnia & Herzegovina : casopis Drustva za medicinsku informatiku BiH, 2016. 24(4): p. 286-292.
10. Green, I., et al., The association of previous influenza vaccination and coronavirus disease-2019. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics, 2021: p. 1-7.
11. Aslani, N. and A. Garavand, The role of telemedicine to control CoVID-19. Archives of Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2020. 15(COVID-).