Although Covid is primarily considered a respiratory disease, it has serious consequences involving digestive system. Around 15-25 percent of COVID patients present with Gastro-Intestinal symptoms, either during the hospital stay or post discharge and some may even present directly with these symptoms only. Common symptoms include- abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, acid reflux, vomiting and diarrhoea. Certain drugs like antivirals, antibiotics, and steroids which are used in the treatment of Covid 19 infections also affect the digestive system. The virus enters through the epithelium of the intestine and infects hollow viscous and travels through blood stream (viremia) to infect solid organs like liver, pancreas and gallbladder causing inflammation or swelling leading to cholecystitis, pancreatitis and hepatitis. Some patients have presented with GI emergencies including intraabdominal abscess (collection of pus in the abdominal cavity), sealed off or frank perforations (small tear in

Author-Shlok Talati