ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Local doctors say they are seeing more patients with COVID-19 and the flu, and this time, the symptoms look different.

Nationally, COVID-19 activity has been rising through the summer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that during the back-to-school season, COVID-19 activity is increasing, even though overall respiratory illness remains low.

Dr. James Black, medical director of emergency services at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, said the symptoms are not always what people expect.

“The symptoms are a little bit different sometimes. I mean, so we’re still seeing people with fevers, cough [and] upper respiratory type symptoms. But a lot of people are coming in with gastrointestinal symptoms,” Black said. “Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sometimes to the point of mild dehydration.”

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One Albany resident expressed her concerns after learning about the uptick.

“We don’t really know enough about COVID to feel so comfortable where we can just totally ignore,” she said.

This resident added that she has remained cautious about COVID-19 since it first emerged.

“The scary part about it is that we have been made to feel like it’s okay to relax,” she said. “But I really think that those precautions that we took during the height of COVID, we should continue to do that.”

Coronavirus and its mutations

Black said COVID-19 and the flu are behind much of what doctors are treating right now. He said it is too early to know exactly what’s driving the change in symptoms or whether it is a new variant.

“It’s hard to say, but as most viruses do, it mutates. So, I’m certain that it’s changed from what we have seen in the past,” Black said. “Fortunately, we’re not seeing the amount of hospitalizations and deaths that we’ve seen in the past. But no less debilitating to someone when they get sick, especially with the nausea and vomiting and unable to hold down fluids.”

Black said the word “COVID” can still carry weight for families, six years after the pandemic began. But he said what doctors are seeing now is closer to the coronavirus’ original form.

“Certainly coronavirus, which has been around for a long time, way before COVID-19, is still present,” Black said. “And it’s been causing illnesses for years prior to COVID-19 and even beyond. So, we’re seeing it kind of revert back to its formal form, where it caused those upper respiratory symptoms and sometimes the gastrointestinal systems.”

Back to school: Stay alert, not alarmed

With schools back in session, Black said families should stay alert, not alarmed.

“I don’t want anybody to be afraid,” he said. “You treat the symptoms, you control the fever, make sure people are taking in adequate amounts of fluid and nutrition.”

Black recommends the standard precautions: frequent handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes. As for keeping kids home from school, Black said there is no set quarantine period.

“Good rule of thumb is—I would hold people out of school until they’ve been without a fever for 24 hours,” Black said. “You don’t have to give medications to suppress the fever. They certainly can go to school.”

He said most symptoms can be managed at home.

“Certainly, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with the fever and the body aches,” Black said. “Again, if those things aren’t working, then certainly come in to see us.”

Black said people should seek emergency care if they develop extreme shortness of breath or can’t keep fluids down.

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