Omicron: This common mistake could lead to unwanted health complications

With rapidly rising Covid cases and winter at its peak in the capital, people who have sore throat, irritation in throat, and runny nose are showing hesitance in getting tested for Covid-19 as the symptoms are quite similar to common cold and flu.

As Covid-19 disease seems to be milder this time compared to last year, courtesy Omicron, many people are resorting to self-medication and looking for home remedies instead of getting the standard Covid treatment which may raise the risk of certain health complications in them, says an expert.

"A majority of people do not get themselves tested because of the fear of getting diagnosed with Covid infection and opt for home remedies or self-medicate with the help of google. Taking any medication without the doctor’s knowledge can be risky and invite unwanted complications like throat infections. The nose, throat, and larynx are part of the external respiratory tract, with the internal respiratory tract extending from the trachea to the lungs. Your respiratory system is very delicate. Throat infections can have serious consequences if they spread to the lungs. Therefore, it is important to take special care of the respiratory system during the third wave of Covid," says Dr Sanjiv Dang, ENT specialist, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Karol Bagh, Delhi.

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So, if your symptoms resemble a common cold or flu but persist for more than few days, then one should go for an RT-PCR test and quarantine yourself until the report is negative to curb the spread of the virus.

People having cough, cold, headache and vomiting should not assume that it may be happening due to weather change.

“Coronavirus has an adverse effect on the lungs, and leads to difficulty in breathing. However, in the third wave, most of the patients are showing symptoms like cold, fever, sore throat, headache, and vomiting, and the report is coming positive after the Covid test. Many people also suffer from cold, cough, sore throat, and fever due to weather change that invites cold and flu," adds Dr Dang.