A Da Nang Newspaper reader recently posted a question: What health problems can patients still face after being the all-clear from COVID-19?  Here is the answer with specific explanations as follow.

Delayed immune responses

Delayed immune responses is a condition in which the immune system is overactive in the direction of causing allergic - autoimmune diseases in people with a predisposition to autoimmune disease. Therefore, even if the COVID-19 test come back negative, a small percentage of patients are still at risk and require medical interventions. It is necessary to watch for symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, rash and dehydration, and immediately call doctors if these symptoms are unusual.

Lung fibrosis sequelae

In patients with previous diffuse pneumonia, the alveolar-capillary membrane after the inflammatory phase heals gradually, the inflammatory fluid recedes, the red blood cells or dead cells are cleared off, and then microscopic fibrous scars are formed.

It can be imagined that this process is like a situation during which a severe skin scratch will heal gradually and then leave a scar, the only difference is that scars formed in the lungs are usually very too small to observe, and it is visible only under a microscope, referred to as microscopic fibrosis.

The formation of lung fibrosis, more or less, depends much on the natural disposition (of the body), the severity of the lung damage, age, comorbidities and nutritional status. Therefore, breathing exercises during the recovery period from the COVID-19 infection are very important.

Depletion of muscle mass and emptying of nutrient stores in the body

There is the loss of muscle mass and reduction of nutrients used in the fight against the disease. Muscle mass, including muscles and cells of organs, may face atrophy, the loss of muscle fibers, damage or damage to cells.

These aforementioned problems will occur in most organ systems of patients after recovery from the COVID-19 infection, in digestive, hepatobiliary, respiratory and circulatory systems. Patients are highly likely to lose tens of kilograms of weight after recovery from the disease.

Psychological and spiritual problems

The psychological and emotional trauma of patients, especially the critically ill, is often very serious. Obsessions about shortness of breath or worries about the possibility of recurrence, reinfection and sequelae make patients suffer insomnia and stress. This condition often contributes to making their lives being full of stress even when the physical damage is not unduly severe.

Reporting by T.V – Translating by A.T