If you have symptoms of COVID-19, the first and most important step is to take care of yourself and not spread the virus to others. Powered by a highly infectious strain of Omicron, the coronavirus has spread rapidly across the United States, now accounting for more than 99 percent of cases.
However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people who develop symptoms of COVID-19 have mild symptoms and can recover at home.
What are the most common symptoms of COVID-19?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Other symptoms may include:
What are other COVID-19 symptoms you may feel?
- Muscle or body aches
- Chills or shaking with chills
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Loss of taste or smell
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
These symptoms aren’t always obvious, but when they are, they’re easy to mistake for symptoms of a cold, flu, or seasonal allergies. The main way to distinguish COVID-19 from other conditions is if symptoms get worse or don’t improve after a week.
When do I need help?
If you feel sick, see your doctor and monitor your symptoms. You do not need to go to the hospital unless there are signs of an emergency. What is considered a medical emergency includes difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, confusion or disorientation, and blue face or lips.
The information allows you to take care of yourself and those around you more accurately. That’s why it’s important to get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Most rapid home and laboratory tests are antigen tests and give results in about 15 minutes. Antigen tests detect proteins from viral particles, but are generally less sensitive than polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and can produce false negatives.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and your antigen test is negative, take a PCR test and isolate at home until you get the results. If you are unable to perform a PCR test, repeat the rapid antigen test in a day or two to increase the chance of detecting the virus. If you have symptoms and your rapid antigen test is positive, this is usually enough to confirm infection and does not require a PCR test.
COVID-19 testing is available at UrgentWay clinics in New York City. Before visiting a clinic, you should check with the particular testing location for their hours of operation, appointment requirements, and other necessary information.
