What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19

Most people who test positive for COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms.
Common COVID-19 symptoms include:

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

These symptoms can appear in any combination and may change over the course of the infection. While many people recover at home, symptoms can worsen, especially in those with certain underlying health conditions who are at high risk of getting very sick from the virus.

Some may experience no symptoms, although this is relatively uncommon. Even without symptoms, individuals can still spread the virus.

If you’re experiencing symptoms or test positive, contact a healthcare provider right away to discuss potential treatment options. To find out if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19, take the COVID-19 Risk Assessment.

Severe symptoms of COVID-19

In some cases, COVID-19 can lead to serious complications. Severe symptoms may include:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent chest pain or pressure
• Unusual confusion or disorientation, especially if not normal for that person
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish, gray, or pale lips, face, or nail beds (depending on skin tone)

If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately. Severe COVID-19 may require hospitalization and should not be taken lightly.

Similarities and differences between COVID-19, the flu, and other respiratory illnesses

COVID-19, the flu, and the common cold are all contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. You may not be able to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Since many of the symptoms are shared, testing and consultation with a healthcare provider is needed to make a diagnosis.

Similar symptoms between COVID-19, the flu, and the common cold may include, but are not limited to:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Key differences between COVID-19, the flu, and the common cold include:

• New loss of taste or smell: More common with COVID-19; uncommon with the flu and rare with the common cold
• Incubation period: Incubation is the time between when someone is exposed to a virus and when symptoms first appear. COVID-19 symptoms can appear 2–14 days after exposure. With the flu, symptoms tend to appear 1-4 days after exposure. Common cold symptoms usually begin within 1–3 days after exposure.
• Contagious period: COVID-19 may remain contagious longer than flu or cold. Adults with the flu are generally contagious during the first 3-5 days of illness. Adults with COVID-19 may be contagious for up to 10 days after symptoms begin. People with the common cold are most contagious in the first few days of symptoms.
• Potential long-term impact: Severe COVID-19 can lead to long-term complications with existing medical conditions, sometimes referred to as long COVID. It also has the potential to exacerbate an underlying medical condition you are currently living with, or even raise chances of developing new health issues. The flu can also lead to serious complications, especially in older adults, young children, and people with chronic conditions, but long‑term effects are less common. The common cold is usually mild and self‑limited, and rarely causes severe illness in otherwise healthy people.

If you have any of the above symptoms, take a test and speak to a healthcare provider as soon as possible. They may be able to help diagnose your illness and direct you to treatment.