Symptoms of COVID-19

COVID symptoms range from nothing at all to life-threatening breathlessness. Most infections today look like a bad cold or flu; the skill is knowing the danger signs that mean hospital - and when to test.

The common picture (days 1-14)

• Fever, sometimes with chills
• Cough, usually dry
• Sore throat, runny or blocked nose
• Tiredness and body ache, headache
• Loss or change of smell and taste - less common with recent variants but still a strong hint
• Occasionally: loose motions, nausea, eye irritation Most healthy vaccinated people recover in 5-10 days with rest at home.

DANGER SIGNS - seek hospital care promptly

• Breathlessness: at rest, or much worse than the illness seems to justify
• Oxygen saturation below 94% on a home pulse oximeter (below 90% = emergency)
• Persistent high fever beyond 3-4 days, or fever returning after settling
• Chest pain or pressure
• Confusion, extreme drowsiness, bluish lips or face
• Inability to eat, drink, or keep fluids down
• Any of these in an elderly person or someone with diabetes, heart, lung or immune disease: earlier review, lower threshold

Testing - when it actually matters

• You have symptoms AND contact with vulnerable people coming up (elderly parents, a hospital visit)
• Symptoms are worsening or you belong to a high-risk group - a positive test opens early-treatment options
• For a mild cold-like illness in a healthy young person with no vulnerable contacts: testing is optional; rest and isolate sensibly either way
• Home antigen tests: quick, good when positive; a negative with strong symptoms can be rechecked after 24-48 hours

After recovery - the tail

Cough and tiredness can linger 2-3 weeks normally. Symptoms dragging beyond 4 weeks, or new breathlessness, chest pain, brain fog or exhaustion persisting months: the long COVID territory - see the complications article and a doctor.

One-line summary

COVID usually runs as fever, cough, sore throat and fatigue clearing in a week or two; breathlessness, SpO2 under 94, persistent high fever, chest pain or confusion mean hospital - and testing matters most around the vulnerable.