Furthermore, experts have noted that the new subvariant has the ability to reinfect people within weeks of having COVID-19.
Recently, a UK doctor took to twitter to share her account of COVID-19 reinfection and experiencing disturbing symptoms of Omicron BA.5.
“Someone posted today about #COVID19 being a cold and we should all just catch it and take paracetamol. So I thought I would tell you all about my experience with the new Ba.5 variant. Suffice to say I did not have a cold. I should start off by saying I do not have #LongCovid,” Dr Claire Taylor, Former neuroscientist holding a special interest in long COVID writes on twitter.
The doctor clarifies that the symptoms she experienced were nothing like a cold, rather desribes it as painful.
Furthermore, she highlights that she and her family had all had COVID 12 weeks ago.
“I knew reinfection could happen soon but even I was surprised to get it again so quickly,” she says.
Three symptoms brought to light
“Day 1 my 9 year old son complained of a painful stiff neck. I took his temperature&it was 38.8. First thought was meningitis…,” the doctor writes.
She narrates that she herself experienced aching all over, as though ‘hit by a bus.’
“The hit by a bus feeling went on for a few days and then my neck also became sore and stiff. Faintly positive lat flow day 5. I actually could not move my neck at all. Temperature was up and I felt generally miserable. NO cold symptoms whatsoever,” she shares.
Around day 10, she reveals that she developed numbness and tingling down her left arm. “I still could not move my neck. I went to sleep and woke up with distorted vision in my left eye. Couldn’t read anything as bits of text missing,” the doctor further adds to the list of symptoms.
On COVID recovery and how soon do symptoms resolve
Describing her onset of symptoms as “essentially viral meningitis,” she called her general physician (GP), who she says was “sympathetic” and “perplexed” about the whole thing.
“He emailed a neurologist to see if I needed an MRI of my brain and spine. Still not heard anything and that was a week ago. He gave me something for nerve pain.”
Because she had trouble with her vision, she visited an optician who she says told her that her eyes were fine.
Four days later i.e. day 14, the numbness and tingling she experienced resolved, she writes.
“I could move my neck but it was still sore down the left side of my arm. Thankfully things moved in the right direction rather than losing power in the arm,” she adds.
What causes long COVID? The UK doctor shares a theory
Earlier in June, 2022, Dr Taylor had also introduced the ‘trifecta’ theory behind the occurrence of long COVID.
According to her, viral persistence, microclots and runawar immune system are the three main leading causes of long COVID.
While scientists have not reached any conclusions regarding the same, the UK-based doctor claims viral persistence i.e. virus that isn’t cleared by the body, continues to damage the body long after acute COVID.
Irrespective of how mysterious the condition is, its prevalence is something that cannot be ignored.
As per a global study published recently, in India alone, nearly four crore people have reported long COVID symptoms since 2020. The number is more than 14 crore worldwide.
