COVID-19 Is Predicted To Be The Common Cold, Here's The Explanation

JAKARTA - The Chair of the Infection Working Group for the Central Management of the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PP-PDPI) Erlina Burhan said that the prediction of the COVID-19 disease being a 'common cold' in the future is possible when public compliance with health protocols is generally applied. "Now people are accustomed to wearing masks. and they are no longer lazy to wash their hands and the interaction is somewhat reduced. If this behavior becomes a common thing, then maybe one day (COVID-19) will be treated like the common cold," said Erlina Burhan when answering Antara's question in a virtual press conference related to Omicron which was attended by from the Zoom application in Jakarta, Monday, January 24. Erlina said there was a possibility that some of the SARS-CoV-2 variants that cause COVID-19 could be treated similarly to the common cold or seasonal flu, especially variants with mild symptoms such as Omicron. Erlina said Omicron had similar symptoms. relatively similar to ordinary influenza such as dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, head kit, pain in stomach and fever.

"Based on reports of 43 cases of Omicron in the United States on December 1-8, 2021, data from 37 symptomatic (symptomatic) patients who experienced coughing 89 percent, fatigue 65 percent, nasal congestion 59 percent, fever 38 percent, nausea or vomiting 22 percent, shortness of breath. 16 percent breath, 11 percent diarrhea and 8 percent anosmia," he said. Meanwhile, based on observations of 17 probable Omicron and Omicron patients at the Friendship Hospital, Erlina said, 65 percent had mild symptoms, 63 percent dry cough, 54 percent sore throat, 27 colds. percent, headache 36 percent, fever 18 percent. Erlina said Omicron in certain groups such as the elderly, people with comorbid or congenital diseases, and children still require special attention, especially when the degree of pain is moderate, severe or severe will require treatment medical.Erlina reminded the public not to take the current Omicron lightly. Because there are concerns that the COVID-19 narrative can be treated the same as handling the common cold, there is a risk of triggering people's disregard for compliance with health protocols. common cold. They continue to move outside the house without a mask, while Omicron can be contagious and severe and even die," he said. Separately, Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, stated a number of specific differences between Omicron and the common cold. "Flu has no anosmia (loss of smell, although in Omicron it is also rare," he said. In addition, Omicron can be distinguished from the common cold based on the results of the PCR examination using the S-Gene Target Failure (SGTF) method for early detection.