Mississippi is seeing more COVID cases recently. Some patients have a new variation of the virus with different symptoms. Takea Gilbert thought she had a cold in 2022, but this time she had a bad headache. She didn’t realize it was COVID until she got checked. Many people have mistaken COVID for allergies because of symptoms like sneezing and itchy throat. The virus can cause chills and nasal congestion, but a sore throat is a key sign of this new variant. Gabriel Ibarra, a physician assistant, treated 90 patients with COVID last weekend. He advises people with symptoms like body aches and headaches to get tested. Ignoring the virus could lead to more serious problems like bronchitis or pneumonia. Ibarra suggests wearing a mask and staying home if you feel sick to stop the virus from spreading. It’s important to take care of yourself and others during this time.
Vocabulary List:
- Congestion /kənˈdʒɛs.tʃən/ (noun): The state of being overcrowded or blocked especially in relation to bodily functions.
- Symptoms /ˈsɪmp.təmz/ (noun): Physical or mental features that indicate a condition or disease.
- Variant /ˈver.i.ənt/ (noun): A form or version of something that differs in some respect from other forms.
- Chills /tʃɪlz/ (noun): A feeling of coldness accompanied by shivering often associated with fever or illness.
- Nasal /ˈneɪ.zəl/ (adjective): Relating to the nose.
- Ignoring /ɪɡˈnɔːr.ɪŋ/ (verb): Refusing to acknowledge or take notice of something.
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