'Throat problems may stay for weeks'

VADODARA: Persistent dry cough and throat irritation may continue even weeks after the patient has recovered from Covid-19. It has become a common symptom that is bothering many who have suffered the disease in the recent times.
Many doctors, however, see the throat problems as a silver lining - they believe that the virus is losing its sting like many others that cause viral fever or upper respiratory infection. Doctors claim that the prolonged throat irritation for several days could be from the Covid-19 virus itself or even other infections that the recovered patient may have caught after Covid recovery. The coughing, however, is not believed to a cause for major concern.
"Since omicron became the dominant variant in circulation, we have been seeing upper respiratory tract getting more involved. This leads to sore throat and similar symptoms that can continue for a long time," said infectious diseases expert, Dr Hiten Kareliya. But it might not necessarily be Covid virus that is leading to these prolonged symptoms. "The immunity of a Covid patient will not be very strong for two to three weeks after recovery.
They may catch another infection that may give them the throat irritation," said Kareliya, adding that the person's weak immune system cannot handle the infection, making it prolong. Physician Dr Niraj Chavda said that prolonged sore throat and cough are symptoms of several viral infections.
The duration of fever in patients has also gone down significantly to just two to three days now. "After this phase, most patients improve and are as good as normal without any fever or other symptoms. The only thing that persists is coughing and sore throat," physician Dr Bhadresh Modi said.