Young and Healthy: Why You Should Still Be Worried About Corona

Young and Healthy: Why You Should Still Be Worried About Corona 

While it may seem like younger people are in less danger from coronavirus, many are still being hospitalized. Not only that, but some young people who are asymptomatic (infected but without symptoms) are spreadingCOVID-19 among the public and endangering lives. Even if you are young and may not be at risk of coronavirus-related death, you should still be worried. 

Why Should You Be Worried? 

According to a study in France, a 25-year-old infected with COVID-19 is 250 times less likely to die than an 85-year-old with coronavirus. This may give you the impression that in terms of coronavirus and death, young adults are untouchable. However, data from March 16, 2020(when coronavirus cases started growing in the United States) shows that younger adults with COVID-19 may still require hospitalization and intensive care. 

One of the biggest worries you should have doesn’t entirely involve you. WHO’s technical lead and infectious disease epidemiologist Van Kerkhove confirmed that there are infected individuals who are asymptomatic. Let’s say you aren’t worried about coronavirus in the least. You are living life as you used to, going out, wearing a mask, but not as diligently as you should be. However, you do not realize that you are asymptomatic. All of those times you walked by a person without wearing your mask and touched objects in public could result in a person falling ill from coronavirus. Yes, you may be young, but many of those people could be elderly or immunocompromised. That person has an entire family and life to care about and now, they could be spending their last days in an intensive care unit. 

You may be wondering how you can tell if you are asymptomatic. In the case that you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should self-quarantine for 14 days. Even if you feel absolutely fine, you could be asymptomatic and contagious. The only way to truly know if you are asymptomatic is to get a COVID-19 test. Typical COVID-19 swab tests will tell you if you currently have coronavirus, while an antibody test will tell you if you have previously had coronavirus. 

Symptoms of Coronavirus

While being asymptomatic is possible, it’s still useful to have a good understanding of COVID-19 symptoms. These symptoms can range in severity, some presenting as mild symptoms while others presenting more severely. If you come into contact with a person who has coronavirus, you would start showing symptoms in the following 2-14 days after exposure. The CDC-verified symptoms of COVID-19 include: 

• Fever
• Chills
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulties breathing
• Fatigue
• Body Aches
• Headaches 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion 
• Runny nose 

There are other, more unusual symptoms of COVID-19 as well. These include a new loss of taste or smell without nasal congestion, eye problems(such as enlargement, sensitivity to light, swollen eyelids, and irritation)and mild gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. 

Where to Get a Coronavirus Test 

If you believe that you have coronavirus, you should consider getting tested. If you are in the Bay Area and are concerned that you may haveCOVID-19, BASS Primary Care offers both COVID-19testing and Antibody testing. After we meet you through a Telehealth video, we will decide which test suits your situation the best. When coming to see us for a COVID-19 swab test, you can remain in your car for the entirety of the test. You may also enter our low-risk, CDC-compliant facility. You will receive your test results within 48 to 72 hours. To schedule a telehealth video visit with us, visit our website or call us at (925) 962-910.