Identifying Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Symptoms Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

This Is What a Coronavirus Infection Feels Like

CDC expands list of COVID-19 symptoms and emergency warning signs

In many cases, the illness starts with a fever. Sometimes a cough accompanies it — maybe shortness of breath. But for people with a mild case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, that may be the extent of unpleasant symptoms, explains Mike Wadman, an emergency physician and co-medical director of the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. That’s where 15 Americans who were aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship were treated or observed for the illness when they returned to the United States in late February.
If a mild case of COVID-19 doesn’t sound much different from the cold, flu or any other respiratory illness that circulates seasonally, Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. “There is a lot of overlap,” Wadman says. Beyond fever and cough — two of the three hallmark signs of COVID-19 — both influenza and the coronavirus share a list of possible , including sore throat, headache, fatigue, muscle or body aches and a runny nose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People with COVID-19 may also experience nausea or vomiting and diarrhea. The majority of the time, people sick with these symptoms are able to recover at home without medical care, the CDC says. However, it’s important to call your health care provider for advice. Going into a doctor’s waiting room, urgent care center or emergency room isn’t always the best course of action, since you could infect others or pick up another infection, Wadman says. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. if you are hospitalized with COVID-19. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers >

What to do if you have a coronavirus infection

Coronavirus symptoms

Mild COVID-19 cases

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 emergency warning signs: Trouble breathing Persistent pain or pressure in the chest New confusion Inability to wake or stay awake Bluish lips or face Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Washing your hands often and wiping down frequently touched surfaces also reduces the risk of getting others sick. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. . COVID-19 doesn’t have a cure yet, just relief from symptoms. But clinical trials are underway to test the safety and effectiveness of potential therapies, including , which received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May after preliminary results showed that patients hospitalized with COVID-19 recovered faster on the antiviral drug, compared with patients taking a placebo. Vaccine trials are also moving forward.

How to protect yourself from coronavirus br

Without a vaccine to protect against the coronavirus, experts say the best way to avoid it is to practice everyday prevention measures: Wash your hands often and keep your distance from other people — at least 6 feet of distance, Wadman says. “This disease is transmitted by respiratory droplets. So those droplets from a sneeze or cough, if [they land] in your mouth or nose, or if you’re inhaling those droplets, that’s the way that this disease is primarily transmitted from one person to the next,” he says. “And if you stay 6 feet away, you minimize the possibility of that happening.” Also: Wear a face mask, even if you feel healthy. The latest research shows cloth face coverings can block respiratory droplets from spreading to other people, leaving the virus with nowhere to go. If worn community wide, face masks reduce everyone’s risk for infection. Health officials are also urging older Americans and people with underlying health conditions who are at from COVID-19 to limit interactions with other people as much as possible and to consider avoiding activities where taking protective measures, such as physical distancing, may be difficult to maintain. “Especially if you are older or if you do have other medical conditions, you’re at higher risk. And so really adhering to these preventive measures is a very important thing to prevent becoming ill, and if you are sick, to prevent giving that infection to someone else,” Wadman says. Editor’s note: This story, originally published March 2, 2020, was updated to reflect new information. Coronavirus Symptoms Explained More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS