I have a cold, which seems to be a Christmas thing around my house, but I digress. After 50 rotations around the Hot Space Mass I kind of know my body and how it reacts, right? Viral cold or not, I can almost guarantee a sinus infection before it is over. I grab a telemed appointment yesterday for Augmentin and Prednisone because I know how this story ends, I want the abx on hand for when this goes sideways in a few days.
Fuck me for thinking.
If you haven't used a telemed service, you are connected with an ARNP, PA, something like that via the internet. Great for colds, flu, pink eye, simple things when your primary doc is unavailable. I list my symptoms and am connected with an ARNP or something who, after reading my symptoms, launches into the COVID spiel. "Have I been tested"? No. "You should have a test done." That doesn't solve today's problem. I need a test for treatment? "No, no, it's just a good idea to know if you have COVID or not. There's a new strain going around that presents with the same symptoms you have" and you get the idea.
Oh, fuck off.
I grunt and we move on with everything. Wrapping up a few minutes later, prescriptions sent to the pharmacy on file, drink water, rest, etc. we go back to COVID. I should be tested, avoid family members until I know I'm negative, blah, blah, go fuck yourself.
The COVID thing isn't bad enough. How we were treated isn't bad enough. The whole god damn thing isn't bad enough. A sniffle, a runny nose, a cough, low grade fever, acne, lazy eye, sunburn, body aches and pains, club foot, deviated septum, anal discharge...these are all symptoms of COVID apparently. The flu? a Cold? Bronchitis? We default to COVID. Trained and educated medical professionals, smart people, dumb people, Cowboys fans, we're conditioned to think everything and anything could be COVID.
How do you treat COVID? The same way you treat a cold or the flu. Even if I'm diagnosed with COVID, are they handing out antiviral meds? Maybe, but those require certain conditions to be met, right? Unless you are one of those people, your treatment is "drink water, get some rest, etc." Shortness of breath, trouble breathing? Get to your ass to the ER...which is what we did pre-COVID!
I'm venting, ranting, whining, whatever-ing, I get it, but we need to stop with this COVID nonsense.
Feel better.
Let's not forget the tests are bullshit.
Dr. Vinay Prasad makes a good argument to stop testing. I think it's the main thing keeping this bullshit around.