It has been almost two years since the Covid-19 pandemic struck the UAE. Since then a lot has changed, including patients' symptoms. As compared to a year ago, doctors in the UAE say the symptoms are now less severe, and hospitalization rates have also significantly decreased. This is attributed primarily to high vaccination rates and improved immunity among people.

However, there has been a surge in post-Covid symptoms that last for more than three to four months after recovery.

Patients' confidence has also improved substantially over the last two years. Doctors have noted that earlier the patients would come to the hospital, with worst assumption in mind and thinking infection meant certain death.

"A year and a half ago, patients who visited me complaining symptoms of Covid-19 had a very high fever, splitting headache, back and body pain and poor oxygen level. However, now the symptoms are (less severe) like sore throat, mild fever, sweating at night and minor headache, which can be treated with analgesic and good nutrition. As compared to all the variants before, the symptoms have become less severe now," says Dr Mohamed Saifeldin Abdelrahman Mohamed, Pulmonologist, Thumbay University Hospital.

"At the start of the pandemic, coronavirus impacted infected individuals very seriously, where huge numbers of patients were being admitted in critical care with severe Covid pneumonia that needed oxygen support and a variety of antibiotics and anti-viral medications. Two years later, hospitalizations and deaths have been reduced significantly due to the protective effects of vaccines," added Dr Mohammed.

Dr Anitha Varghese, general medicine, Aster Clinic, said during March-April 2020, patients would come with high fever, breathing difficulty, cough and other mild symptoms. "More than that, it was very challenging to handle their fear as they all came with the thought that if they are Covid-positive, then death is sure," she said, adding that "we have successfully overcome those challenging days".

"In 2022, the key difference is that the symptoms are easier for us to handle and not getting worse because of vaccination. Now common symptoms are throat irritation, dry cough and body pain. People have got adjusted to the scenario and started accepting the truth of the situation and this made the health workers relaxed to handle any number of cases now," said Dr Varghese.

Dr Salvin George, specialist internal medicine, Medcare Hospital Al Safa, said the current infection is less virulent for those vaccinated. "Symptoms can vary from mild fever, headache, body ache, flu symptoms and cough. While the previous viruses caused loss of smell and taste, the current pandemic seems not to do so. Most patients are able to isolate at home while monitoring their oxygen levels, hence the rate of hospitalization is significantly low. Although it is able to spread much faster, the complications are much less compared to the previous wave of Covid," said Dr George.

Dr Mohammed revealed that post-Covid symptoms can now persist for longer duration than earlier. "We are now facing post-Covid symptoms which sometime last more than three to four months, wherein 80 per cent of the cases are suffering from 'post-viral cough syndrome' that includes lingering coughs after recovering from an upper respiratory infection, and a small percentage of individuals also show persistent body ache and fatigue." He underlined the recommendation that people must continue to follow all protocols, including wearing masks, washing of hands, and hygiene.

"Vaccines have played a very important role in minimizing the symptoms of Covid 19. Still, it's difficult to say whether Covid-19 is fading away because the subject is still under study. A lot of it would depend on how infected patients are clinically analyzed, followed by studies conducted in the coming months. With that in mind, it appears the coronavirus could eventually become a simple seasonal infection, self-limiting and cannot be accounted as a pandemic like before.," added Dr Mohammed.