Details: Category: Region 9; Published: 18 March 2021

RO9 Pneumonia Pneumonia is a lung infection that can range from mild to severe. It happens when an infection causes the air sacs in your lungs to fill with fluid or pus and may cause difficulty in breathing. Infants and people aged 65 years old and above are at higher risk of acquiring this infection. Its causes include viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Lifestyle factors can increase your risk of pneumonia such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. People that are hospitalized, especially in intensive care units, have chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, liver diseases, heart conditions and asthma, and weak immune system have greater risk of pneumonia.

As we mentioned earlier, pneumonia can be caused by organisms such as a virus. This lung infection can be acquired when respiratory droplets containing the virus such as SARS-CoV-2 enter the upper respiratory tract. As the virus multiplies, it can damage the alveoli and its surrounding tissues. As the immune system fights the virus, inflammation can occur and cause the buildup of fluids in the lungs. This will interfere with the transfer of oxygen and may cause difficulty in breathing in persons with pneumonia.

Symptoms from COVID-19 related pneumonia are similar to those other types of pneumonia. Symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue. Based on a study that uses CT scan and laboratory test to compare COVID-19 pneumonia to other types of pneumonia, both lungs are affected instead of just one, lungs appear with “ground glass” appearance via CT SCAN, and more likely have abnormalities in laboratory test particularly those assessing liver function. Most cases of COVID-19 have mild and moderate symptoms and few were severe and critical.

COVID-19 pneumonia was diagnosed by collecting a sample by swabbing the nose and/or throat to detect the presence of the virus. Other tests include a complete blood count (CBC) and using of imaging technologies such as chest X-ray and CT scan as part of the diagnostic process to help the doctors view the presence pneumonia.

Many countries have already started using vaccines hoping to end this battle against COVID-19 virus. According to the World Health Organization, The first mass vaccination programme started in early December in the year 2020 and as of 15 February 2021, 175.3 million vaccine doses have been administered. At least 7 different vaccines (3 platforms) have been administered. In the Philippines, the first supply of 600,000 doses of vaccines (Sinovac) came as a donation from China arrived at the Villamor Air Base in Manila last February 28, 2021. It was also reported that Philippines is the last Southeast Asian nation to receive a COVID-19 vaccine supply. With this, the Philippine government is somehow confident that this health crisis will soon come to its end but this can be made possible if people will cooperate in their continuous efforts to observe the minimum health protocols of wearing face mask and face shield, maintaining social/physical distancing, frequent hand washing, avoidance from crowded places and limit outside activities whenever possible as herd immunity is far from reality with the global demand of supply for vaccination. Truly, if we work together to combat this pandemic, we can heal as one.

-PNC-ZDN Rowence F. Zorilla

References:

1. WebMD-Pneumonia

https://www.webmd.com/lung/understanding-pneumonia-basics

2. What to Know About COVID-19 and Pneumonia

https://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-pneumonia#treatment

3. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Vaccines

https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-vaccines?adgroupsurvey={adgroupsurvey}&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvvKBBhCXARIsACTePW84o_ft3OSzzPkXGJmvclM9AtZ4GxGGAZtt8pz1EqACxeKiMe1WCicaAq__EALw_wcB

4. Mayo Clinic-Pneumonia

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pneumonia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354204#:~:text=Pneumonia%20is%20an%20infection%20that,and%20fungi%2C%20can%20cause%20pneumonia.

5. ABC News

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/philippines-receive-covid-19-vaccine-delays-76163594