COVID-19 infection

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a very contagious and fast-spreading condition caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. While most people with COVID-19 only experience mild respiratory symptoms (similar to a cold or flu), others become severely or deathly ill. Since it was first identified in 2019, COVID-19 has taken the lives of over 1 million Americans. It’s still important to be aware of symptoms and know what to do if you have COVID. 

COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms of COVID-19 appear 3-4 days after you’ve been exposed to the virus. The most common symptoms include:

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

While most individuals will only experience mild symptoms of COVID-19, some will develop severe symptoms, including:

• Change in mental status (such as confusion)
• Extreme sleepiness, trouble waking up or difficulty staying awake
• Pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds
• Persistent chest pain or pressure
• Persistent or worsening cough
• Persistent or worsening difficulty breathing
• Persistent or worsening fever
• Shortness of breath while resting

If you are experiencing any of the urgent symptoms above, call 911 or go to your closest emergency room.

How to protect yourself from COVID or other viral respiratory illnesses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends some easy-to-follow practices that can help protect you and others from viral respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV):

• Stay up to date with vaccinations: This helps protect against developing serious illness that could result in hospitalization or death. Vaccinations are available for flu and COVID-19. RSV vaccinations are available for certain people, including pregnant women and adults 60 and older.
• Practice good hygiene:  That means remembering to cover your mouth if you cough or your nose if you sneeze; washing your hands often or using hand sanitizer frequently; and regularly cleaning surfaces that are frequently touched, like doorknobs, appliance handles, remote controls, phones, etc.
• Breathe cleaner air: Do that by allowing fresh outside air to circulate in your home, purifying indoor air or holding gatherings with your friends and family outdoors, when possible.

What steps should I follow if I’m sick with COVID-19 or another respiratory viral illness?

In March 2024, the CDC updated its guidance for the community concerning what people should do if they’re sick with COVID-19 or another respiratory viral illness such as influenza (flu) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

1. Stay away from others. If you are sick with a respiratory virus, you should stay home to avoid spreading the infection to others.
2. Wear a face mask: To help protect others, including those you live with, the CDC recommends that you wear a face mask to reduce the spread of germs into the air. (More info from CDC.)
3. Seek treatment. If you have COVID-19 or flu, reach out to your primary care clinician to ask if you should receive treatment. For COVID or flu, earlier treatment can lessen symptoms and reduce your risk for developing more serious illness.

Please note that the CDC has separate guidance for health care settings to help prevent spread of infection.

When can I return to normal activities?

There are a few ways to know if it is OK to return to normal activities.

1. Your symptoms are improving: If it has been at least 24 hours and you are feeling better overall and your symptoms are lessening, like cough and/or fatigue (feeling tired), that is an indication you are improving.
2. If you had a fever: If you had a fever and it is gone for at least 24 hours without using a fever-reducing medication (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen), then you can return to normal activities with some additional precautions.

To help protect others from infection as you finish recovering from illness, take these additional steps for the next five days:

• Wear a well-fitting mask.
• Keep a distance from others.
• Get tested for respiratory viruses.

Also, keep up your hand hygiene, cough/sneeze protection etiquette and use the fresh air strategies to protect others.

If your symptoms return, contact your primary care clinician for advice on next steps.

COVID-19 risk factors

Some people are more at risk for developing severe COVID-19 than others. Some conditions and factors that may put you at higher risk include:

• Being a current or former smoker
• Being age 50 or older
• Being overweight or obese
• Being pregnant
• Having a weakened immune system/being immunocompromised
• Having undergone a solid organ or stem cell transplant
• Having certain health conditions, including:
  • Brain or nervous system conditions, including a history of strokes
  • Cancer
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Chronic liver disease
  • Chronic lung disease, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis and more
  • Dementia
  • Diabetes
  • Disabilities, including cerebral palsy, birth defects, spinal cord injuries, Down syndrome and more
  • Heart disease, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy and more
  • High blood pressure
  • HIV
  • Mental health conditions
  • Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
  • Substance use disorders
  • Tuberculosis

If you have any of these risk factors and experience symptoms of COVID-19, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible and let your family doctor know if you are positive. Certain oral and intravenous medications have been proven to keep mild-to-moderate COVID-19 from becoming severe in high-risk individuals (when started soon after symptoms begin).

COVID-19 testing

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with a confirmed case, it is best to get tested so you can avoid infecting others.

• If you are actively experiencing symptoms, it is best to get tested right away.
• If you don’t have symptoms but have been exposed, it is best to wait five days after your exposure to get tested.
• Antigen tests can be done at home and provide rapid results. However, while positive antigen test results are very reliable, a single negative result cannot rule out COVID-19 infection.
  • If you receive a negative result, it is recommended to repeat the test again if you continue to have symptoms.
  • If you were exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, it is recommended that you test two additional times, 48 hours apart, to make sure you are truly negative for COVID-19.
• Alternatively, you can go for a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), which is more accurate than the antigen test, at a doctor’s office or pharmacy.
  • Some NAATs provide fast results, while others (like PCR tests) take longer but are the most accurate.

Learn more about COVID-19 screening and testing services available through LVHN.

COVID-19 treatments

Most people with COVID-19 can recover at home and take over-the-counter medications, increase their fluid intake and get more rest to improve their mild symptoms.

However, some people at high risk for developing or who are experiencing severe symptoms may need specialized care and treatment, including antiviral medications, steroids/anti-inflammatory drugs, remote monitoring or hospitalization.

Learn more about the specific COVID-19 treatments and monitoring programs available through LVHN.

Long-term effects of COVID-19

Some people who develop COVID-19 go on to experience long-term symptoms and conditions related to their initial illness. Known as post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC), or Long COVID, these ongoing health problems can last for weeks, months or years and include:

• Anxiety/depression
• Blood clots
• Changes in smell or taste
• Changes in your menstrual cycle
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating
• Dizziness
• Fatigue that interferes with daily life
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle and/or joint pain
• Rashes
• Recurrent fevers
• Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
• Sleep problems
• Stomach pain
• Tingling, burning or numbness of the skin

If you are experiencing ongoing health concerns after facing COVID-19, be sure to speak with your family doctor for additional evaluation and care.