They are lesions that look like frostbite, and they can appear on the toes and fingers of children.
The coronavirus has many known symptoms. As you are likely already aware, people suffering from COVID-19 may present with a variety of ailments including a dry cough, a fever, a tight chest, aches and pains, a runny nose, a sore throat, diarrhoea, and an overall feeling of tiredness, among other discomforts.
What is also widely known is that some people may not display any symptoms at all. They can still have the virus, though. This can be the case with people of all ages. It is particularly common with children and young adults. Interestingly, however, there is now one new symptom medical workers are noting that generally asymptomatic young people may exhibit: lesions on their toes.
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If you have some infected toes, should you be worried? Consider this. Skin lesions have not yet been recognized as a sure-fire indicator that you or your child has the new coronavirus. Experts like Dr. Ebbing Lautenbach who is chief of infectious disease at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine thinks that they could be connected to the virus, though.
In talking with CTVNews.ca, Lautenbach revealed that many young people without any other coronavirus symptoms but with lesions on their extremities have been popping up around the world, and dermatologists have been taking note.
Some people who do have COVID-19 also seem to have the infected toes. The lesions look a lot like frostbite. Because most of the COVID-19 infected world is well past the winter season and temperatures that would normally cause frostbite are not occuring, there is a suspicion that the coronavirus could be causing it.
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What do COVID toes look like? The lesions are said to appear predominantly on the toes, but they can also show up on your fingers, experts say. The sores are blue-ish red and can present with purple bumps that usually appear on the pads of the toes, and sometimes on the top of your extremities. The lesions can hurt when touched, and some say they feel like they are hot or are burning.
What should you do if you have COVID-looking toes?
If you have these symptoms, do not panic. Other medical problems are known to cause these symptoms, and so just because you have toes or fingers with sores like this does not necessarily mean that you are infected with COVID-19. The lesions are unusual, however. They are happening to patients in areas where COVID-19 is prevalent, and they could be an indicator of infection. It is best to consult with a doctor, and to play it safe.
“For people who have these lesions, even without pulmonary symptoms, it is probably a reasonable idea to self-isolate,” said Lautenbach to CTVNews.
It means more time spent at home, but you are potentially protecting yourself, and perhaps the lives of others.
