High dose dexamethasone reduced clinical worsening within 11 days more effectively than low dose dexamethasone in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring oxygen therapy, according to clinical trial findings recently published in the European Respiratory Journal.
Who might benefit from dexamethasone if they have COVID-19?
Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid used in a wide range of conditions for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.
It was tested in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the United Kingdom’s national clinical trial RECOVERY and was found to have benefits for critically ill patients.
Can COVID-19 cause pneumonia?
Pneumonia is swelling (inflammation) of the tissue in one or both lungs. It's usually caused by a bacterial infection. It can also be caused by a virus, such as coronavirus (COVID-19).
What are the organs most affected by COVID‐19?
The lungs are the organs most affected by COVID‐19
What are the complications of COVID-19?
Complications may include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure, septic shock, and death.
27 related questions foundWho are at higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19?
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.
What are the most common adverse reactions to the covid-19 vaccine?
The most frequent adverse reactions in trials were pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, myalgia (muscle pains), chills, arthralgia (joint pains), and fever; these were each reported in more than 1 in 10 people.
Can you still catch COVID-19 after having the booster vaccine?
Can you still catch COVID-19 after having the vaccine? The COVID-19 vaccination will reduce the chance of you suffering from COVID-19. It may take a few days for your body to build up some protection from the booster.
Can I develop immunity to COVID-19 after testing positive for PCR?
If you have previously tested positive for COVID-19, you will probably have developed some immunity to the disease. However, it cannot be guaranteed that everyone will develop immunity, or how long it will last. It is possible for PCR tests to remain positive for some time after COVID-19 infection.
How long after having COVID-19 can I get the spring booster vaccine?
If you are unwell, wait until you have recovered to have your vaccine. If you have had confirmed COVID-19 you should ideally wait 4 weeks before having your spring booster.
Can I get COVID-19 or other infections even if I am vaccinated?
Vaccinations are very effective at preventing serious illness from COVID-19, however even if you are vaccinated there is a chance you might catch COVID-19 or another respiratory infection and pass it on to other people.
What are some common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine in children?
Common side effects their arm feeling heavy or sore where they had the injection feeling achy or like they have the flu feeling tired having a headache
What are the possible side effects of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine?
The most common side effects with BNT162b2 (which may affect more than 1 in 10 people) were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever.
Can you take the COVID-19 vaccine if you have allergies?
Most people with allergies (including food or penicillin allergies) can be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Tell healthcare staff before you're vaccinated if you've ever had a serious allergic reaction (including anaphylaxis). They may ask what you're allergic to, to make sure you can have the vaccine.
Do smokers get more severe symptoms of COVID-19 if infected?
Smoking any kind of tobacco reduces lung capacity and increases the risk of many respiratory infections and can increase the severity of respiratory diseases. COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking impairs lung function making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other respiratory diseases. Available research suggests that smokers are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes and death.
Are the elderly more vulnerable to the coronavirus disease?
The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the global population in drastic ways. In many countries, older people are facing the most threats and challenges at this time.
Although all age groups are at risk of contracting COVID-19, older people face significant risk of developing severe illness if they contract the disease due to physiological changes that come with ageing and potential underlying health conditions.
Are people of a particular age vulnerable to coronavirus disease?
People of all ages can be infected by the COVID-19 virus.
Older people and younger people can be infected by the COVID-19 virus. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
What are the common side effects of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine?
The most frequently reported adverse reactions are injection site tenderness (68%), injection site pain (58%), headache (53%), fatigue (53%), myalgia (44%), malaise (44%), pyrexia (includes feverishness (33%) and fever ≥38°C (8%)), chills (32%), arthralgia (27%) and nausea (22%).
The majority of these adverse reactions were mild to moderate in severity and usually resolved within a few days of vaccination. Very rare cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome have been reported post-marketing within the first three weeks following vaccination (see section 4.4).
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
The MHRA confirmed on 9 September 2021 that the COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca can be used as safe and effective booster doses. Following review of data for the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna vaccine, the MHRA and CHM experts also concluded that this vaccine can be used as a safe and effective booster dose.
All vaccines and medicines have some side effects. These side effects need to be continuously balanced against the expected benefits in preventing illness. The COVID-19 Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine was evaluated in clinical trials involving more than 44,000 participants. The most frequent adverse reactions in these trials
Can you get a fever or temperature after the COVID-19 vaccine?
Although a fever can occur within a day or two of vaccination, if you have any other COVID-19 symptoms or your fever lasts longer, stay at home and arrange to have a test.
How does COVID-19 influence children?
What is COVID-19 or coronavirus? COVID-19 is a very infectious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most children who get COVID-19 have no symptoms. Those that do, have mild symptoms like a bad cold. A few children and young people will get very poorly and have to go to hospital.
At what age can children get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The NHS is offering coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines to children aged 5 to 11 years. Experts have advised that parents of all children aged 5 to 11 years should be offered the chance to have their child vaccinated.
Do children need parental consent for the COVID-19 vaccine?
All parents or those with parental responsibility are asked for consent and will usually make this decision, jointly with their children. The information leaflet is addressed to the child (as the recipient of the vaccine) and encourages them to discuss the decision about the vaccine with their parents.
In secondary schools, some older children may be sufficiently mature to provide their own consent. This sometimes occurs if a parent has not returned a consent form but the child still wishes to have the vaccine on the day of the session. Every effort will be made to contact the parent to seek their verbal consent. The school has no role in this process.
Does BCG vaccine protect you from getting the coronavirus disease?
There is no evidence that the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) protects people against infection with COVID-19 virus. Two clinical trials addressing this question are underway, and WHO will evaluate the evidence when it is available. In the absence of evidence, WHO does not recommend BCG vaccination for the prevention of COVID-19. WHO continues to recommend neonatal BCG vaccination in countries or settings with a high incidence of tuberculosis.
Can you go back to daily activities after having your COVID-19 vaccine?
You should be able to resume activities that are normal for you as long as you feel well. If your arm is particularly sore, you may find heavy lifting difficult. If you feel unwell or very tired you should rest and avoid operating machinery or driving.
