illness in the past 12 months , there is a good chance you have had the infection .
Since its emergence in November 2019 COVID has spread around the world , impacting people ' s health and mental wellbeing , global economies and closing your local dive shop . Our understanding of the disease is still very rudimentary , but is gradually advancing . The article in SCUBA ’ s June 2020 issue gave a very thorough overview of the virus and its implications for divers . [ COVID-19 – What Divers Need to Understand by Dr Chris Edge et al ]
If I ’ ve had COVID , what lasting effects could there be ?
It ’ s been less than 18 months since COVID was discovered and that isn ’ t much time to understand a completely new disease . There are no studies as yet as to what happens to your lungs after a mild COVID infection where you did not need to be admitted to hospital .
The few studies thus far show people who need to go to hospital and have oxygen are more likely to have serious inflammation and residual scarring in their lungs . There have been previous studies in viruses similar to COVID showing that most recover quickly , but some people have shortness of breath , fatigue and decreased lung function up to two years after infection .
It is this damage to the lungs that we are most worried about when thinking about your safety when diving as it can lead to trapped gas and a risk of pneumothorax or decrease your ability to get gas in and out of your blood while exercising .
There could also be other lasting effects of the virus , such as damage to the heart or fatigue that can be very disabling and is increasingly being called ‘ Long COVID ’ - a quick internet search will give you some people ’ s Long COVID stories that may resonate with you . These problems are all much more likely if you needed some time in Intensive Care .
Can I dive after COVID or after having my COVID vaccination ?
It is a real challenge to advise divers what is and isn ' t safe right now . For those who haven ’ t had COVID , prevention is better than cure and once we are all vaccinated the hope is we will be able to get back to normal .
Dive boats are cramped environments , personal space and privacy when diving are two things often sacrificed ! Dive charters are doing excellent work keeping divers safe and have adapted the way they work to follow new COVID guidance ; thorough , comprehensive advice is available on the BSAC website . Despite boat operators ' best efforts , the COVID-19 virus can still be accidentally shared without vigilance .
The vaccine studies are really encouraging and suggest they prevent the vast majority who get the virus from having symptoms or needing a hospital admission . We don ' t know yet if the vaccine stops you transmitting COVID with no symptoms , and until we know how effective the vaccine is in the real-world , social distancing and safety measures will have to continue on dive trips .
And what about if you ’ ve had COVID ? The UK Diving Medical Committee , a team of experienced diving doctors , have come up with some guidance for you and your local dive doctor to follow . If you have had COVID and didn ’ t need to go to hospital , it ’ s still a good idea to take some time out of the water while your lungs and body recover - at least three months not diving and if you still don ’ t feel back to 100 %, to give it longer . [ Update : As the issue closed , the UK Diving Medical Committee were in the process of reducing this period to one month ]. If you were admitted to hospital , we currently advise up to a year out of the water .
Once you feel good to go , it ’ s important to see a diving doctor before getting back to diving , especially if you were symptomatic or admitted to hospital . If there is any residual scarring in your lungs it could lead to an injury to your lungs during pressure changes underwater . The last thing anyone wants is another trip to A & E instead of the pub after their long-awaited return to the ocean . The dive doctor will likely want to do some exercise tests while checking the oxygen levels in your blood , and spirometry , a test where you blow into a tube that measures how much gas your lungs can hold and how quickly it can be released .
These tests are designed to check if there is any lasting damage to the lungs , and to keep you safe underwater . Do remember after a period out of the water it ’ s worth easing your way back into diving . The other safety aspects of the sport still apply , so try to get back to your baseline fitness after all these months of lockdown before any demanding dives
- bsac . com / returnprep
Finally ...
Being positive for a moment , the vaccine is here and we could be back to diving by summer . Even though we don ’ t know a huge amount about the long-lasting effects of the virus , if you haven ’ t had COVID it ’ s likely you ’ ll be able to get back to diving without any issue . If you think you have , see your diving doctor and they will help to get you back in the water . �
Correction In the March 2021 Anatomy of a Diver column by Dr Ed Shattock , the Body Mass Index ( BMI ) for healthy weight was erroneously cited as being 25 to 29.9 . The true range of a healthy BMI should be 18.5 to 24.9 . We apologise for the error .
This page is produced with DDRC Healthcare , specialists in diving and hyperbaric medicine
www . ddrc . org
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