Get tested for COVID-19 if you have flu-like symptoms – Health Minister

Amid concerns that the current COVID infections might be an underestimation of the actual figure, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony is urging people with flu-like symptoms to get tested.
Active COVID-19 cases have reduced to 649. With Region Four being densely populated, the Health Minister said a lot of cases are emerging from this zone. However, there are challenges with people not coming out to be tested.
In this light, he is encouraging those experiencing symptoms relating to the common flu to get a COVID-19 test.
“So, you have a lot more people living in Region Four and they come and get tested. We have testing facilities available across the country and we’d like to encourage more people to be tested. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of people now might have COVID but they don’t come forward to be tested. That’s unfortunate because they can continue to spread it to other persons and that can be more challenging to manage…If persons have flu-like symptoms, they shouldn’t assume that it’s a flu. They should go and get tested to verify whether or not it is COVID,” he shared in Friday’s COVID-19 briefing.
If indeed those results return positive, then the person would be asked to isolate at least for five days. As it relates to testing in the hinterland region, Region Eight has seen no increase in infections.
“I’m assuming that persons there are not coming forward to be tested. For a few weeks now, we have recorded zero cases. It’s not that the people of Region Eight does not have cases. It’s just that they’re not testing. Therefore, if they do not test, we can’t get positive cases.”
It is estimated that between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of COVID patients experience a variety of mid- and long-term effects, collectively known as post COVID-19 condition or “long COVID”. This can be prevented with vaccination and timely booster shots.
Zeroing in on long COVID, the Health Minister pointed out that this can persist for a year or longer. Apart from the COVID symptoms experienced, persons can face issues such as hair loss.
“You continue to experience these symptoms. It doesn’t mean you’re infectious…The symptoms, depending on what it is, can persist for long periods of time. They are still trying to unveil what are these symptoms of long COVID but as people come forward and they get treated, we continue to see what it is that affect people and team at the various hospitals would work with them to make sure than they can receive treatment,” Dr Anthony explained.
Guyana’s healthcare system has teams of medical personnel who are tasked with addressing long Covid patients.
Although post COVID-19 condition is more common in patients who developed the severe form of the disease, there are reports of individuals who had moderate illness but experienced some after effects, mainly respiratory, neurological, and psychological. Post COVID-19 functional impairment can limit a person’s ability to perform daily activities, including work or household chores. It can also impact professional performance and hinder social interaction. (G12)