COVID-19 symptoms can vary depending on the type of variant contracted, ranging from mild symptoms to a potentially fatal illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Some people with COVID-19 experience long-term effects, like shortness of breath, chest pain, and brain fog, known as post-COVID conditions or long COVID. Here are some common symptoms of COVID-19:
- 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
Some less common symptoms of COVID-19 can be relatively non-specific, including headaches, nasal congestion and runny nose, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, eye irritation, and toes swelling or turning purple, and in moderate to severe cases, breathing difficulties. Other neurological symptoms appear to be rare, but may affect half of patients who are hospitalized with severe COVID-19. Some reported symptoms include delirium, stroke, brain hemorrhage, memory loss, psychosis, peripheral nerve damage, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Swelling or discoloration can develop on one or several toes or fingers, known as COVID toes, which appear to be more common in children and young adults. If you experience any of these symptoms, consider getting tested for COVID-19 and contact your healthcare provider. If you have serious symptoms of illness, seek emergency medical attention.
