COVID-19 Pneumonia – Video Talk

COVID-19 Pneumonia – This video explains how COVID-19 causes pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that leads to inflammation in the tiny air sacs also called alveoli inside your lungs. They may fill up with so much fluid and pus that it’s hard to breathe and enough oxygen is not absorbed into the blood. You may have severe shortness of breath, a cough, a fever, chest pain, chills, or fatigue.

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Talk by Dr. Jisha V, Consultant Family Physician, Keyhole Clinic, Edappally

How do COVID patients get pneumonia. As we know, not all who are affected by COVID gets pneumonia. Only a less percentage of people who gets affected by COVID gets COVID Pneumonia.

COVID-19 infection begins when respiratory droplets containing coronavirus enter the upper respiratory tract. The infection progresses to the lungs when the virus replicates and this can lead to pneumonia.

In most people, especially those with good immunity, the virus is prevented from causing serious infection. But in a few people with less immunity or depending on how much virus has entered in the body, the virus gets into the respiratory tract. The body is not able to control viral replication and virus gets into lower respiratory tract to cause pneumonia.

The infection in the lungs can damage the alveoli and surrounding tissues. The oxygen we breathe is carried into the bloodstream through these alveoli. But because of the inflammation of the alveoli, transfer of oxygen into the blood stream may be hindered.

COVID-19 Pneumonia may lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and mechanical ventilation may be necessary for them to breathe.

Symptoms of COVID-19 Pneumonia

Symptoms can include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue. Emergency medical care is necessary if someone experiences, difficulty breathing, rapid or shallow breathing, rapid heartbeat, bluish coloring of the lips or face or fingernails, feelings of persistent pressure or pain in the chest.

Risk Factors

Older adults (ages 65 and above)

Patients struggling with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes, obesity, liver disease, heart conditions, chronic kidney disease, etc.

People who has weakened immune system