Lewis Hamilton health: F1 star ‘grateful to be alive’ after catching coronavirus

Mercedes-AMG announce Project ONE with Lewis Hamilton

The world champion sadly missed the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain due to having been instructed to self-isolate following a positive coronavirus test. Even though he’s since tested negative, he’s said he still “isn’t feeling great”.

The 35-year-old finished up in third place in Abu Dhabi, behind Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

The sportsman told ESPN: “I didn’t think that I’d be here [racing], so I’m just really, really grateful for my health and to be alive.

“My body’s not feeling pretty good, but I look on the bright side, I made it through.”

The F1 driver said he had never felt “so blown” as he did contracting the notorious virus.

Before competing in the race, he shared an Instagram story – filmed in his hotel room – during which he said it had been “one of the hardest weeks” in his life.

Thanking his fans for their support, he said he hoped “wherever you are, you’re staying positive and fighting through whatever you’re facing”.

He urged people to “look after themselves and each other”, as “you can never be too careful”.

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What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

There are three main symptoms of coronavirus, pointed out by the NHS, with “most people” experiencing at least one of these symptoms:

  • A high temperature
  • A new, continuous cough
  • A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.

A high temperature means “you feel hot to touch on your chest or back”, which doesn’t require a thermometer.

Suffering from a new, continuous cough means “coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours”.

To lose your sense of smell or taste “means you’ve noticed you can’t smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal”.

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Mounting evidence demonstrates that more and more people are suffering from “long COVID”.

Long COVID has now been recognised by NICE (the National Institute of Clinical Excellence) as a clinical diagnosis.

Guidelines for medics on how to manage the side effects of coronavirus was published on Friday, December 18.

In their report, there are three classifications:

  1. Acute COVID-19: signs and symptoms of COVID-19 for up to four weeks.
  2. Ongoing symptomatic COVID-19: signs and symptoms of COVID-19 from four to 12 weeks.
  3. Post-COVID-19 syndrome: signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.

There are 28 “common symptoms” of ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 syndrome.

These include (but are not limited to): breathlessness, fatigue, muscle pain, dizziness, nausea, and skin rashes.

Paul Chrisp, director of the Centre for Guidelines at NICE, said: “This guideline highlights the importance of providing people with good information after they’ve had acute COVID-19, so they know what to expect and when they should ask for more medical advice. 

This could help to relieve anxiety when people do not recover in the way they expect, particularly because symptoms can fluctuate and there are so many different symptoms reported.”

Meanwhile, Lewis is among a number of sport stars who have been nominated for the 2020 Sports Person of the Year award.

These include cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Hollie Doyle, footballer Jordan Henderson, and snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Tyson Fury is part of the line-up, but has “asked to be taken off the list”, instead labelling himself the “people’s champion”.

Sports Personality of the Year will be airing on BBC One, Sunday December 20 at 8pm.

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