COVID-19

COVID-19 can cause a wide range of symptoms—some of which infectious disease doctors and scientists are just beginning to understand. So far, these are the main symptoms of COVID-19 to watch for, per the CDC. It’s important to note that this list does not include all possible symptoms:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

COVID-19 symptoms are highly individualized, and the severity in which they manifest may depend on a person’s health history.² For example, older adults (65+), people who are immunocompromised, people with certain medical conditions (like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease, among others), and pregnant people face a higher risk of getting very sick, the CDC notes.

A majority of COVID-19 cases can be defined as “mild,” meaning they don’t require hospitalization or medical support. However, a “mild” illness for one person may feel like they have a slight cold, while another person may feel totally wiped out for a week. Some people may even be asymptomatic, meaning they don’t have any symptoms at all.

If you feel symptoms coming on, you should be tested for COVID-19—either via an at-home rapid test or at a local medical center—as signs of the virus can mimic other illnesses or health issues, like the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or allergies.

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If you test positive for COVID-19, the CDC recommends isolating at home for a minimum of five days, as you are likely most infectious during these five days. (However, some research suggests contagiousness can last longer than that.³) Isolation guidelines vary slightly based on whether you have symptoms or not; you can read a full guide on the CDC’s site here.

As for COVID-19 treatment, many people will feel better with home care, which can include getting plenty of rest and using over-the-counter medications to reduce fever, pain, and general respiratory symptoms like congestion. You should still touch base with a doctor as soon as you can—especially if you fall into a high-risk group—as there are antiviral medications and monoclonal antibody treatments available that may help reduce the severity and length of your illness, depending on your symptom severity, qualifications for a prescription, and drug availability in your area. Per the CDC, two common and highly effective options include:

• Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (Paxlovid): This oral antiviral treatment is authorized for use in people 12 years old and up for those who qualify; prescription availability may vary state by state. It needs to be started within five days from when symptoms start.⁴
• Remdesivir (Veklury): This antiviral medication is given via IV infusions for three consecutive days at a medical facility and must be started within seven days of when symptoms start. Compared to a placebo, the medication is up to 87% effective at lowering the risk of hospitalization or death.⁵ 

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Some people who get sick with COVID-19 can experience long-term effects and complications following their initial infection. This is known as long COVID or post-COVID conditions. Research published by the CDC estimates that one in five people infected with the virus will develop long COVID symptoms. More than 200 post-COVID symptoms have been reported, the agency notes.⁶ Those can include but are not limited to: 

• Heavy fatigue
• Respiratory issues, like shortness of breath and persistent cough
• Cardiovascular complications, like heart palpitations and chest pain
• Chronic joint or muscle pain
• Gastrointestinal issues like stomach pain and diarrhea
• Neurological complications like brain fog and dizziness 
• Psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety

Certain people, especially those who had severe COVID-19 illness, have reported unexplained symptoms that last weeks to months. Others have grappled with devastating complications, like multi-organ effects or health issues they didn’t experience before their COVID infection, including autoimmune conditions, the CDC says.

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There are several ways to lower your risk of getting or becoming severely ill from COVID-19:

• Get fully vaccinated and stay up-to-date with your COVID boosters as recommended. You should also get your flu vaccine each year. While a flu vaccine won’t lower your chances of getting COVID, it will lower your risk of also becoming very ill from the flu if you’re already infected with COVID—because you certainly don’t want both at once.
• Wear a high-quality face mask, like a KN95 or N95, especially when you’re outside of your home, like on public transportation, at the grocery store, or in an office building.
• Use at-home rapid tests before close gatherings.
• Improve the ventilation in your home, and opt for outdoor gatherings when you can.
• Wash your hands well and often throughout the day. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to a sink.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay home when you’re feeling unwell.
• Seek medical care if you have symptoms or believe you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.

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COVID-19 is here to stay. At this stage in the pandemic, though, experts have access to many tools that can help diminish the disease’s impact and severity, Dr. Adalja says.

However, there will always be people who have a higher risk of developing severe COVID, and experts are continuing to study its potential complications, including long COVID. “To protect yourself as much as possible,” Dr. Russo says, “get vaccinated and boosted.”

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Sources:

1. StatPearls, Emerging Variants of SARS-CoV-2 And Novel Therapeutics Against Coronavirus (COVID-19)
2. Yonsei Medical Journal, One Year Follow-Up of COVID-19 Related Symptoms and Patient Quality of Life: A Prospective Cohort Study
3. JAMA Network Open, COVID-19 Symptoms and Duration of Rapid Antigen Test Positivity at a Community Testing and Surveillance Site During Pre-Delta, Delta, and Omicron BA.1 Periods
4. The New England Journal of Medicine, Oral Nirmatrelvir for High-Risk, Nonhospitalized Adults with COVID-19
5. The New England Journal of Medicine, Early Remdesivir to Prevent Progression to Severe COVID-19 in Outpatients
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Post–COVID Conditions Among Adult COVID-19 Survivors Aged 18–64 and ≥65 Years — United States, March 2020–November 2021