Covid Myth-BUSTER

Updated 22/03/22
Myth #426:

No need to worry: it's mild

Fact:

It's definitely not mild. These so-called mild infections are causing life-changing problems as the virus attacks the brain, veins, blood, heart and more - even in "mild" cases. 
Dr John Example
Subject Matter Expert, Related Institution

Evidence:

This study shows that even asymptomatic infection is associated with increased risk of death:
Risk of Cardiovascular Events after Covid-19: a double-cohort study

This study of “mild” cases compared before and after images of brain scans and found “pronounced reduction in grey matter” and evidence of tissue damage:
Brain imaging before and after COVID-19 in UK Biobank

This study of non-hospitalised patients (“mild” cases) found 68% of them had problems after 30 days, increasing to 77% after 60 days:
Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in a non-hospitalized cohort: Results from the Arizona CoVHORT

This study found that 61% of patients had problems after six months:
Long COVID in a prospective cohort of home-isolated patients

This study found that 30% of patients had reduced Health Related Quality of Life:
Sequelae in Adults at 6 Months After COVID-19 Infection

This study of people with a “mild” infection found they could no longer breathe properly, leading to difficulty exercising and hyperventilation:
Persistent Exertional Intolerance After COVID-19

This study suggests the virus is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, causing brain damage:
The S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 crosses the blood-brain barrier in mice

This study shows evidence of Covid’s impact on memory, reasoning, and emotional processing:
Cognitive deficits in people who have recovered from COVID-19

This study shows it is also a vascular disease, with even mild cases infecting blood cells and causing damage:
Evidence of Structural Protein Damage and Membrane Lipid Remodeling in Red Blood Cells from COVID-19 Patients

Don't be fooled:

Covid-19 is still a dangerous, highly infectious disease.

Even mild cases in healthy, vaccinated people are causing brain damage, blood clots, heart attacks and life-changing disabilities, months after recovering from infection.

How to stay safe

and protect others

Don't breathe it in

This is an airborne virus, so it behaves a lot like smoke or vape. Aerosols are spread into the air when an infected person breathes, speaks or sings. Just like smoke, it will fill up a room and it hangs around and lingers in the air for hours. Standing behind a plastic screen or keeping 2m away doesn't stop you breathing the air.

Use a proper mask

Those leaky surgical masks don’t do anything to stop an airborne virus, nor were they designed to. They don’t form a proper seal around your face, so virus-filled air is easily sucked in or sprayed out.

We all need to wear N95/FFP2 masks when sharing air indoors. Yes, even with friends.

Get fresh air

Meet people outdoors. If you must be indoors, open windows and get fresh air moving - use a fan if necessary. If you can't open doors and windows, you'll need to filter the air. You can easily build a powerful air filter for much less than buying a commercial unit.
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