Medical Offices of Manhattan’s Gastroenterologist, Dr. Andrea Culliford speaks to Shape about Can the Coronavirus Cause Diarrhea?
She is quoted saying:
Given what we know so far, it’s too soon to say that people experiencing digestive issues should take the same steps they would if they were experiencing respiratory symptoms. This is in no way to discredit the efforts of the hard-working clinicians and research teams conducting this study. However, more and more data is collected every day, and from our understanding, the signs [of COVID-19] are flu-like. (But, FWIW, flu symptoms can sometimes include digestive issues like diarrhea and vomiting.)
As for digestive symptoms, at this point you can follow normal protocol when it comes to seeking treatment for these types of ailments.
Unfortunately, the medical community is learning the behavior of COVID-19 day by day. We work very hard to keep patients safe from potential harm. For now, our recommendation is to follow the CDC, WHO, and your state’s DOH guidelines until more information is obtained. Perhaps as we learn more, with tests becoming readily available, we can study more about COVID-19 GI symptoms.
View the original piece placement on Shape.
