Basic Symptoms
COVID-19 typically causes flu-like symptoms including a fever and cough. In some patients - particularly the elderly and others with other chronic health conditions - these symptoms can develop into pneumonia, with chest tightness, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Coughing, sneezing and sore throat
Fever is a key symptom, experts say. Don't fixate on number, but it's really not a fever until your temperature reaches at least 39°C.
Hot fever and shortness breath
You feel hot to touch on your chest or back It is a common sign and also may appear in 2-10 days if you affected.
Strong headache and chills
Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing or shortness breath.
High fever
Fever is a key symptom, experts say. Don't fixate on a number, but know it's really not a fever until your temperature reaches at least 39°C.
Cough
Coughing is another key symptom, but it's not just any cough, said Schaffner. It should be a dry cough that you feel in your chest.
Sore Throat
You feel hot to touch on your chest or back It is a common sign and also may appear in 2-10 days if you affected.
Headache
Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Self-isolation
Self-isolation at home has been recommended for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and those who suspect they have been infected. Health agencies have issued detailed instructions for proper self-isolation.
Many governments have mandated or recommended self-quarantine for entire populations living in affected areas. The strongest self-quarantine instructions have been issued to those in high risk groups. Those who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and those who have recently travelled to a country or region with widespread transmission have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days from the time of last possible exposure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
- What are coronaviruses?
- What is the COVID-19 virus?
- What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
- How is the virus spread?
- What are the symptoms?
What are coronaviruses?
The first symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza (flu) infections are often very similar. They both cause fever and similar respiratory symptoms, which can then range from mild through to severe disease, and sometimes can be fatal.
Both viruses are also transmitted in the same way, by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. As a result, the same public health measures, such as hand hygiene (hand washing), good respiratory etiquette (coughing into your elbow or into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue) and good household cleaning are important actions to prevent both infections.
The speed of transmission is an important difference between the two viruses. Influenza typically has a shorter incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) than COVID-19. This means that influenza can spread faster than COVID-19.
While the range of symptoms for the two viruses is similar, the fraction with severe disease appears to be higher for COVID-19. While most people have mild symptoms, approximately 15% of people have severe infections and 5% require intensive care in a hospital ICU. The proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections are higher than for influenza infections.
What is the COVID-19 virus?
The first symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza (flu) infections are often very similar. They both cause fever and similar respiratory symptoms, which can then range from mild through to severe disease, and sometimes can be fatal.
Both viruses are also transmitted in the same way, by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. As a result, the same public health measures, such as hand hygiene (hand washing), good respiratory etiquette (coughing into your elbow or into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue) and good household cleaning are important actions to prevent both infections.
The speed of transmission is an important difference between the two viruses. Influenza typically has a shorter incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) than COVID-19. This means that influenza can spread faster than COVID-19.
While the range of symptoms for the two viruses is similar, the fraction with severe disease appears to be higher for COVID-19. While most people have mild symptoms, approximately 15% of people have severe infections and 5% require intensive care in a hospital ICU. The proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections are higher than for influenza infections.
What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?
The first symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza (flu) infections are often very similar. They both cause fever and similar respiratory symptoms, which can then range from mild through to severe disease, and sometimes can be fatal.
Both viruses are also transmitted in the same way, by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. As a result, the same public health measures, such as hand hygiene (hand washing), good respiratory etiquette (coughing into your elbow or into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue) and good household cleaning are important actions to prevent both infections.
The speed of transmission is an important difference between the two viruses. Influenza typically has a shorter incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) than COVID-19. This means that influenza can spread faster than COVID-19.
While the range of symptoms for the two viruses is similar, the fraction with severe disease appears to be higher for COVID-19. While most people have mild symptoms, approximately 15% of people have severe infections and 5% require intensive care in a hospital ICU. The proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections are higher than for influenza infections.
How is the virus spread?
The first symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza (flu) infections are often very similar. They both cause fever and similar respiratory symptoms, which can then range from mild through to severe disease, and sometimes can be fatal.
Both viruses are also transmitted in the same way, by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. As a result, the same public health measures, such as hand hygiene (hand washing), good respiratory etiquette (coughing into your elbow or into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue) and good household cleaning are important actions to prevent both infections.
The speed of transmission is an important difference between the two viruses. Influenza typically has a shorter incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) than COVID-19. This means that influenza can spread faster than COVID-19.
While the range of symptoms for the two viruses is similar, the fraction with severe disease appears to be higher for COVID-19. While most people have mild symptoms, approximately 15% of people have severe infections and 5% require intensive care in a hospital ICU. The proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections are higher than for influenza infections.
What are the symptoms?
The first symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza (flu) infections are often very similar. They both cause fever and similar respiratory symptoms, which can then range from mild through to severe disease, and sometimes can be fatal.
Both viruses are also transmitted in the same way, by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus. As a result, the same public health measures, such as hand hygiene (hand washing), good respiratory etiquette (coughing into your elbow or into a tissue and immediately disposing of the tissue) and good household cleaning are important actions to prevent both infections.
The speed of transmission is an important difference between the two viruses. Influenza typically has a shorter incubation period (the time from infection to appearance of symptoms) than COVID-19. This means that influenza can spread faster than COVID-19.
While the range of symptoms for the two viruses is similar, the fraction with severe disease appears to be higher for COVID-19. While most people have mild symptoms, approximately 15% of people have severe infections and 5% require intensive care in a hospital ICU. The proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections are higher than for influenza infections.
