COVID

Question 1

Describe the incubation period + infectivity of COVID

Answer 1

Incubation period = 5-6 days (time from exposure to emergence of symptoms)

Period of infectivity = 24-36 hours before symptom onset, falling off in mild cases to low after 10 days

Asymptomatic infectivity possible

Question 2

What lab/imaging signs are consistent with COVID-19

Answer 2

• progressive patchy infiltrates on CXR
• abnormal LFTs
• low lymphocytes
• high CRP + D-dimer (thrombosis, pulmonary embolism)
• troponin elevated (no physiological evidence of myocardial dysfunction = microthrombosis)

Question 3

Describe the possible modes of transmission

Answer 3

• respiratory droplets from coughing/sneezing
• direct contact
• fomites

Question 4

What are the risk factors for COVID?

Answer 4

• age
• multimorbidity including obesity
• immunosuppression
• ethnicity

Question 5

Describe the types of COVID vaccines developed

Answer 5

Modified viral vectors = astra zeneca (exhibit spike proteins of the covid virus to enable immunity to be generated

MRNA technology = moderna + pfizer (viral protein generation to allow immunity to be generated without illness)