Currently, the big question is what will the New Normal be like? Everyone knows that the COVID-19 pandemic will not go unnoticed. Its consequences await us at the economic and social levels. Furthermore, the medical community warns of the probability of the second wave of infections. These are all large-scale events, however, one should not forget that there may also be a coronavirus impact on one’s health, a problem on a more personal level. So, should one worry about the possible side effects after having overcome the disease? Is there a consensus on the coronavirus impact on health? Doctors are alarmed by the cases that have occurred. But the coronavirus impact on health is just beginning to be known now and, for the moment, there indeed is an impact in a certain percentage of cases in the different groups of patients. The impact is more serious the older the patient is: neuropathy with muscle weakness occurs in those who were bedridden in ICUs for a long time, which can gradually recover with physiotherapy afterwards. Can I drive once I have overcome the illness? Yes, when the patients recovered from COVID-19 are discharged from the hospital, they can drive, except in a few cases where there may be some kind of restrictive consequences to psychophysical fitness, where it would be advisable to pass the psychometric test to be on the safe side. The correct functioning of the body sensors is usually not affected. In this regard, drivers can rest assured. However, the probability of heart disease, which represents one of the main health impacts, is multiplied by four. Those who already suffered from it before can be affected at the time of their driving licence renewal, if their previous baseline situation deteriorates. The same can happen with chronic respiratory patients, given the incidence of pulmonary fibrosis (one of the main health impacts of COVID-19), although the probability of not being able to renew one’s driving licence for this reason is less relevant than in the case of cardiac patients. Cognitive and behavioural disorders are also pointed out to be one of coronavirus impacts on health, along with depression. In most cases it will not be an obstacle to renew one’s driving licence, although some kind of treatment may be required. If you suspect you might suffer from COVID-19 side effects, visit your GP to discuss your situation. On the other hand, it would be a good time to consider acquiring a private health insurance in order to hedge yourself from these possible consequences. At Clínica la Siesta we collaborate with most insurance companies in Spain. You can select a health insurance most suitable to you with our help. We evaluate your individual situation and suggest solutions that may be the most appropriate in your case thanks to a wide variety of affordable coverages. If you need to renew your driving licence, it can be done in our clinic. You only need to make an appointment with us and we will carry out all the required paperwork. It saves the nerves, the time, and the perils of having to go to many different crowded places. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact us by email info@clinicalasiesta.com or to call us at +34 692 134 136.

What you need to know about the Coronavirus The new COVID-19 coronavirus is spreading rapidly around the world. Spain is now one of the countries most affected by this disease. Today, on the 12th of March 2020, there are about 3000 infected. Whereas on the 11th of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared that the coronavirus outbreak is a pandemic.  This pathogen can cause severe bilateral pneumonia, and while flu saturates emergency departments, coronavirus saturates ICUs where patients require intubation to breathe. The general population does not have natural immunity against this virus, as is the case with the flu, because we have never had contact with it before. The coronavirus is extremely contagious. This is why we find ourselves in the state of maximum alarm. Too many people suffer from this disease at the same time, and, as a consequence, the hospitals are saturated with patients. If strict precautions are not followed, we might soon end up in a situation where there is not enough medical staff nor means in the hospitals to attend all the patients. For example, the North of Italy has now been put under quarantine precisely to stop the spread of the disease as the hospitals are full.    What are the preventive measures that the WHO recommends? 1. Wash your hands as frequently as possible (either with soap or with alcohol).  2. Social distancing. The coronavirus is deemed to spread via droplets that come out from our mouths and noses when we sneeze, cough, or TALK. Therefore, it is a good idea to maintain your distance from everyone, to wear glasses if posible, or even a surgical mask if you are in contact with someone who might be infected.  3. Do not touch your nose, your mouth, nor rub your eyes. Although it is very difficult to achieve as the experience shows.  4. When you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue. 5. And finally, if you do not feel well, seek medical attention. Try to wear a surgical mask if possible to protect others around you.   The 4 guiding symptoms: 1) Fever over 38°C 2) Sore throat 3) Dry cough 4) Difficulty breathing    In this case, your plan of actions should be: Stay at home, cover your face with a surgical mask. Call +34 900 300 555 (for the Valencian Community), and you will be asked to answer some questions about your state. According to the test score, you might be asked to do the virus detection test. In case it yields a positive result, you will be told what to do next (which can vary from home confinement to hospital admission).   Clínica La Siesta, in turn, also recommends to leave your house as little as possible in order to avoid spreading the disease. This might be a good time to finish all of your pending home tasks that you might have been postponing, to read some books, to learn a language, or to binge watch a TV series / films.

Traffic Department warns the drivers about the side effects of certain medicines It is known that almost all medicines have side effects. They might be something minor like a mild headache or even not affect you at all. However, when it comes to driving, one should be extremely careful. According to the Spanish Traffic Department, 5% of all the road accidents are due to the use of medication. Therefore, it puts your life and health (and that of others) in danger. It also states that 25% of all the medicines authorised by the Spanish Agency for Medication and Healthcare Products (AEMPS) can affect your driving by producing drowsiness or by slowing down your reflexes. If there is a risk of side effects that might affect your driving, you will find a special sign on your medication box. It is a warning red triangle with a black car on a white background inside.  The danger of driving when taking certain medications increases even more as most drivers are not aware of the effects these drugs have on their driving abilities. Hence, the fundamental role that both the doctor and the pharmacist have is in informing the patient about what he is going to take. According to recent studies, receiving information about the effects of a given medication on driving reduces the annual accident rate by 45% for every 1,000 patients. In case of self-medication, this effect of prevention is, unfortunately, lost. False Positive Not only can these drugs put you and others in danger, they can also yield a false-positive result during a drug control test carried out by the police (Guardia Civil de Tráfico). The consequence of that is a fine of 1000€. Which would be quite unfair considering you did not know that your medication can alter your test results. Moreover, if you refuse to carry out the drug test, you might be subject to imprisonment. Prevention is better than cure, so always double-check with your doctor when you get the prescription.  Non-Prescription Drugs You should also watch out for the medicines you can get without a prescription. They can have the same adverse effects and equally score positive during a drug control test. Don’t forget either that they can interfere with other medication you are already taking and provoke an unexpected reaction in your body. To always be on the safe side, you should consult your GP before starting any treatment. The side effects that a drug can have are also subject to the quantities your doctor prescribes. Alcohol  If alcohol is added to the equation, everything gets more complicated. Not only does it have dangerous effects on one’s body per se, if alcohol consumption is also combined with taking one’s medications, the effects might be completely unexpected. Its metabolism involves two enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase. If a certain drug inhibits this process, unusual effects may occur in response to only a small intake of alcohol. If you are interested in receiving more information or consulting the doctor about side effects of your medicines, do not hesitate to call us at +34 692 134 136 or write us an email at info@clinicalasiesta.com and book your appointment so that we can put you in the best hands.