Fever And Coronavirus: When The Temperature Worries
Fever and coronavirus go hand in hand, but it’s important to explain this statement. Not in all cases COVID-19 is symptomatic, and not all people with a fever have contracted the virus. For this reason it is important to be cautious in monitoring this symptom.
To be able to talk about COVID-19, other symptoms must be present , such as dry cough, breathing difficulties and fatigue. Among other things, this symptomatology does not always correspond to Sars-Cov-2 infection, since it is common to many forms of flu or colds.
It is important not to panic if the temperature rises, but it is also not right to ignore the symptoms. First of all, it will be necessary to check the actual presence of fever, then monitor this symptom. In the presence of coronavirus fever, the symptoms persist and, indeed, tend to worsen.
Fever and coronavirus
Due to the pandemic, doctors have raised the alert on the importance of keeping an eye out for any symptoms of COVID-19. As we know, fever and coronavirus go hand in hand, so an increase in temperature above normal values is to be considered suspicious in any case.
What to do in the presence of fever? If the temperature remains high for the next three hours, you should contact your doctor within 24 hours of discovery. This is particularly important in the presence of heart, respiratory, diabetes or other chronic diseases.
While waiting for a medical consultation, the ideal is to isolate yourself and get rid of some clothing. If the fever rises, you can take a hot shower or apply cold packs, ice in the armpits or groin, and drink plenty of water.
Self-medicating is not a good idea. Although medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen have been proven to cause no complications, your doctor will need to decide which treatment is best for you. Antibiotics should never be taken.
What temperature should you worry about?
Body temperature is regulated by the hypothalamus ; in the presence of viruses or bacteria in the body, this area releases pyrogenic substances which cause an increase in temperature. This symptom is accompanied by chills, increased heartbeat, restlessness or stupor.
In any case, the body temperature varies from person to person and from one hour to another of the day. A person is generally most hot between 4pm and 8pm, the time of day when the temperature starts to drop, until 6am.
So, what temperature can be considered normal and which is a sign of fever? At present, experts believe that starting from 37 ° C we can speak of a light fever, that is constant and of slight intensity. In some cases it is of nervous origin, but in the context of the pandemic it must be addressed as an alarm bell.
Doctors also indicate that a temperature between 37 ° C and 37.8 ° C corresponds to a fever, and above this temperature we speak of fever. Any increase in temperature exceeding three consecutive hours should be considered a symptom of infection.
The right way to measure temperature
Beyond the high-end thermometers, there are different types of common use, but not all of them have the same degree of reliability or accuracy. At the moment the best are the gallium thermometer and the digital one.
The gallium thermometer is similar to the mercury thermometer (the latter now banned in many countries because it could break in the mouth and cause intoxication). Galistan is a mix of gallium, indium and tin, non-polluting substances. On top of that, it’s very accurate, but it’s not easy to get it down to zero and it takes three or four minutes to give the result.
The digital thermometer is very convenient even if it requires a battery and sometimes it rings very soon, so it is better to wait a moment. Ear, pistol or mouth thermometers are not accurate enough, plus they are expensive. Those based on a ‘ mobile app should not be used because they are not precise.
Some thoughts on thermometers, fever and coronavirus
Other aspects to take into account to measure the temperature are the following:
- The ideal is to measure it twice a day, possibly always at the same time. During one of these measurements it is recommended to stand under an open window. If there is a constant low temperature or fever, this could be a sign of coronavirus infection.
- It would be more correct to take the axillary temperature. The mouth tends to register a higher temperature, and drinking a hot drink or even talking can increase the heat within the mouth.
- If the thermometer shows fever or low temperature, you will need to repeat the measurement two or three times, in the following hours, to confirm the symptom. The next step will be to undergo a medical examination to rule out COVID-19.
