Covid 19 Symptoms And What To Do

Overview

COVID-19 is an illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2, one of the coronavirus family. The virus mainly affects your breathing passages and lungs, but it can affect other parts of the body too. Most people get mild symptoms a bit like a bad cold or flu and recover at home within one to two weeks. Some people become more seriously unwell, especially older adults and people with other health conditions.

Yes. COVID-19 has spread widely around the world since 2020. It now circulates alongside other common respiratory viruses, often in waves, and most people will have it at some point. Because so many people have some immunity from vaccination or past infection, serious illness is less common than in the early years, but it still happens.

Anyone can catch COVID-19, at any age. Most children and healthy younger adults have a mild illness. People at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell include older adults, people with long-term conditions affecting the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver or brain, people with a weakened immune system, people with diabetes, pregnant women, and people who smoke. Being vaccinated greatly lowers, but does not completely remove, the risk of severe illness.

Symptoms

Common symptoms

• A high temperature (feeling hot, shivery or clammy)
• A new, continuous cough — coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• Losing or changing your sense of smell or taste
• Feeling very tired or worn out
• A sore throat, headache, or aching muscles
• A blocked or runny nose, and sneezing
• Feeling short of breath when doing ordinary things
• Feeling sick, being sick, or loose stools (diarrhoea)
• Not wanting to eat, or feeling generally unwell

Symptoms in children

• Most children have a mild illness, like a cold, and some have no symptoms at all
• A high temperature, cough, sore throat or runny nose are common
• Tummy ache, being sick, or diarrhoea can happen
• Some children get unusual tiredness or a poor appetite for a few days
• Very rarely, a child can develop a serious inflammatory reaction a few weeks after infection — get urgent help if a child has a persistent high temperature, rash, red eyes, tummy pain, confusion or unusual sleepiness

Symptoms in older adults

• Fever may be missing or lower than expected, so don't rely on temperature alone
• New confusion, unusual drowsiness, or being 'not themselves' can be the main sign
• Falls, dizziness or sudden weakness
• Not eating or drinking, leading to dehydration
• Breathlessness that builds slowly and may be noticed only when moving about
• Symptoms can worsen quickly, so contact a health professional early if you are concerned

Causes

Main causes

• Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus
• Breathing in tiny virus-containing particles in the air, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated indoor spaces
• Close contact with someone who is infected — for example living in the same household
• Touching surfaces with virus on them and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth (this is a less common route than airborne spread)

Risk factors

• Not being up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations
• Older age
• Long-term conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney or liver disease
• A weakened immune system, from illness or from medicines that suppress it
• Being pregnant
• Smoking
• Living in crowded housing or working in a setting with close contact with many people
• Being very overweight

When to see a doctor

See a doctor urgently if:

• You have severe or worsening breathlessness, chest pain, confusion, or you feel very unwell
• You are in a higher-risk group (for example you have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, or have a long-term heart or lung condition) and you have just tested positive or have symptoms — ask about early treatment the same day
• A high temperature lasts more than 5 days, or your symptoms get worse after seeming to improve
• You cannot keep fluids down, or you are passing much less urine than usual
• Your child is unusually sleepy, has a rash, or is breathing fast or noisily

Book a routine appointment if:

• Your symptoms are not improving after about 3 to 4 weeks
• You are still very tired or breathless weeks after the infection, and it is affecting daily life (this may be long COVID)
• You have questions about testing, vaccination, or whether you need to stay away from others
• You have a new cough that lasts more than 3 weeks

Diagnosis

A healthcare professional will ask about your symptoms and may examine you. COVID-19 is usually confirmed with a test that looks for the virus, or by a test that checks whether you have recently been infected. Testing rules vary between countries, so check your local health service guidance. Tests are most accurate in the first few days of symptoms.

Tests that may be done

• A rapid antigen test (often a swab of the nose and/or throat, sometimes called a lateral flow test) — gives a result in minutes
• A laboratory PCR test — a swab sent to a lab, more accurate and can be used when symptoms started a few days earlier
• A blood test that looks for antibodies, sometimes used to check for past infection
• A pulse oximeter, a small clip on the finger that measures the oxygen level in your blood, if you are at higher risk or your doctor is worried
• Other tests such as a chest X-ray, blood tests or heart tracing if you are seriously unwell or have complications

What to expect at your appointment

If you test at home, follow the instructions in the kit carefully and record the result. If you are seen in person, expect questions about your symptoms, your breathing and your other health conditions, and possibly a check of your oxygen level. If you are in a higher-risk group, you may be contacted or asked to call a local service so treatment can be considered quickly.

Treatment

There is no cure that works for everyone, but treatment aims to ease symptoms, help you breathe comfortably, and support your body while your immune system clears the virus. Most people are looked after at home. A small number of people who are at higher risk may be offered specific antiviral medicines by a healthcare professional, and these work best when started early. People who become seriously unwell are treated in hospital with oxygen, monitoring and supportive care.

Self-care at home

• Rest as much as you need, and go back to normal activity gradually rather than all at once
• Drink plenty of fluids — water, squash, or warm drinks — to avoid dehydration
• Eat small, light meals if your appetite is poor
• Ask your pharmacist which over-the-counter remedies are suitable for your symptoms and safe with any other medicines you take
• Keep taking your regular prescribed medicines unless a healthcare professional tells you otherwise
• Keep rooms ventilated and avoid close contact with others in your household where you can
• Follow your local public health advice about staying away from others while you are infectious
• Note your symptoms each day so you can tell if you are improving or getting worse

Medical treatments

Treatment is matched to how unwell you are. If you are at higher risk of severe illness, a healthcare professional may assess you and offer antiviral treatment — usually as tablets or as a drip in hospital. These work best when started soon after symptoms appear, so it is worth asking early. For more serious illness, hospital care may include extra oxygen, fluids, monitoring of your breathing and heart, and treatable support for complications such as lung infection or blood clots. Doctors use clear, evidence-based guidelines to decide what is right for each person.

Living with this condition

While you are unwell, keep things simple: sleep when you need to, drink regularly, and don't push yourself. Ask family, friends or a local support service to help with shopping and medicines. After the first week, most people start to feel better, but tiredness can linger. Build activity back slowly — a short walk one day, a little more the next — and expect good days and not-so-good days. Follow your local health service's advice on when you can safely return to work, school or social contact.

Lifestyle tips

• Pace yourself: alternate activity with rest, especially in the first few weeks
• Keep up good hand hygiene and cover coughs and sneezes
• Open windows and meet people outdoors or in well-ventilated places when you are mixing again
• Avoid smoking and vaping, which irritate the lungs
• Keep up to date with recommended vaccinations
• Try to keep a regular sleep routine, even if your days are unstructured

Diet and exercise

There is no special diet that treats COVID-19. Aim for ordinary balanced meals and drink regularly, even if you don't feel hungry. Once you feel able, gentle movement such as short walks or light stretching helps your recovery — but do not exercise hard while you still feel unwell or feverish. If you are breathless, slow down and rest. If you were fit before and want to return to training, build up gradually over weeks rather than days, and get advice if breathlessness or a racing heart bothers you.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing

It is very normal to feel worried, low, irritable or lonely when you are ill, especially if you have to stay away from others or your symptoms drag on. Poor sleep and lack of exercise can make these feelings stronger. Talk to someone you trust, keep in touch by phone or video, and be kind to yourself. If low mood or anxiety lasts more than a couple of weeks or affects daily life, speak to a healthcare professional. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself or feel you cannot cope, contact your local emergency number or an urgent mental health or crisis support service in your area straight away — help is available and you deserve it.

Prevention

You cannot fully guarantee you will avoid COVID-19, but you can lower your risk. Vaccination reduces the chance of serious illness. Good ventilation — opening windows, meeting outdoors or in airy spaces — makes a real difference because the virus spreads through the air. Washing your hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying away from others while you are unwell also help. Wearing a face covering in crowded indoor places can add protection, particularly if you are vulnerable.

Vaccines

Vaccines against COVID-19 are available in most countries and are recommended by health authorities. They are very good at reducing the risk of severe illness, hospital treatment and death, though they do not stop all infections. Which vaccine and how often boosters are offered depends on your age, health and where you live, so check your local health service guidance or ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Complications

If left untreated

• Breathlessness and low oxygen levels, which may need hospital care
• Lung infection (pneumonia) or inflammation of the lungs
• Blood clots in the legs or lungs
• Problems affecting the heart, kidneys or brain, especially in people already unwell
• Long COVID — symptoms such as tiredness, breathlessness, brain fog or a persistent cough lasting weeks or months
• In a small number of children, a rare inflammatory reaction some weeks after infection

Long-term outlook

The great majority of people recover fully. Many feel better within one to two weeks, though a cough and tiredness can linger for a few weeks afterwards. A smaller number have longer-lasting symptoms, and support is available for that. Vaccination and early treatment for higher-risk people have made serious illness much less likely than in the early years of the pandemic. If you are worried about your recovery at any point, ask for help — it is never too late to get advice.

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