THINK YOU HAVE COVID?
Key information: What to look for, what to do and steps to take after symptoms appear
The new coronavirus is heavily circulating in the community.
Daily new case numbers and hospitalizations have surpassed peak numbers from the spring.
Since the start of the pandemic, people have been encouraged to keep an eye on possible symptoms and to stay home if sick.
The recent surge in cases has many paying closer attention to potential signs that they may have COVID-19.
The symptoms, highlighted in releases by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state Department of
Health, hospitals and other organizations, are likely well known by the public by now.
But just how common are the symptoms and do they mean someone must have COVID-19 instead of another illness?
Like the flu, COVID-19 is a respiratory illness and the symptoms can be similar.
COVID seems to spread more easily and causes more serious illnesses in some people than the flu, according to the CDC. It has also been noted that symptoms can take longer to appear and people can be contagious longer with COVID than with the flu.
Symptoms for COVID can appear from two to 14 days after exposure.
Testing is the only way to diagnose a person with COVID and to differentiate between COVID and the flu, though there are some symptoms that help health care workers lean more toward one of the illnesses than the other.
The state Department of Health lists the following as symptoms associated with COVID:
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste and smell
People with COVID can experience mild or severe symptoms, or might even have no symptoms.
“We have to realize there is a large group that aren’t developing symptoms,” said Dr. Debra Powell, chief of the division of infectious disease and medical director of infection prevention at Reading Hospital.
Whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, it is possible to spread the virus.
Dr. Jeffrey Held, Penn
State Health St. Joseph vice president for medical affairs, said during a recent interview that 80% of the COVID spread is from people who are asymptomatic.
What to look for
The most common symptoms for COVID-19 are flulike symptoms.
Among hospitalized patients, Powell said she has seen fever, cough and shortness of breath at least 75% of the time in patients. She added that the cough is a dry, persistent cough, and that none of the patients she saw within the past week had what would be described as a productive cough.
In addition to those systems, Powell noted fatigue and patients feeling achy as other predominant symptoms.
Currently patients presenting with those symptoms are expected to have COVID. The symptoms are common with the f lu as well, but it is still early in the flu season. Patients are tested for both illnesses.
The steps the community is taking to slow the spread of COVID also help protect against the flu.
“If you have the cough, shortness of breath, fever, that’s a flu-like illness, and the predominant virus we’re seeing circulating right now is the coronavirus,” Powell said. “We’ll probably see some influenza in the next two weeks, but we may see a lighter influenza season this year because of everyone wearing masks. That’s our hope.”
Most people who are symptomatic with COVID experience respiratory illness symptoms. Other symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, and diarrhea or nausea, have been noted but are less common.
Though not as common, the loss of taste or smell have become telltale signs of COVID.
“I think the thing that we didn’t realize in the spring was the loss of taste and smell,” Powell said. “That was kind of newer. Patients that present with that as a symptom, I would really think of those patients as testing positive for COVID-19.”
You have symptoms, now what?
If someone is experiencing COVID symptoms, their next step depends on the severity of their symptoms.
People with mild symptoms can recover at home without medical care. It is important for the individual to stay home, isolate and avoid contact with others. A test is not required, but if a person wishes to be tested they should reach out to their health care provider to set up an appointment.
People at home should remain isolated from others until at least 10 days have passed since symptoms appeared, at least 24 hours have passed without a fever and other symptoms have begun to improve, according to the CDC.
Those who are asymptomatic but have had an exposure to someone with COVID should quarantine for 10 days since their positive test or since their last exposure to the infected person.
Quarantine can be shortened to seven days with a negative test result.
People with severe symptoms should seek medical care.
Emergency warning signs include trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, and bluish lips or face.
Everyone should continue to follow the current COVID-19 safety precautions to slow the spread of the virus.
The state Department of Health recommendations include:
• Wear a mask, indoors and outdoors, whenever you leave home or around people who do not live with you.
• Keep your distance from those you don’t live with and avoid crowds.
• Download the COVID Alert PA mobile app to get alerted if you’ve been near someone who has tested
positive, and to alert others if you test positive.
• Cover coughs or sneezes with the inside of the elbow.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Clean high-touch surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cellphones, remotes and other frequently touched items.
• If you are sick, even if your symptoms are mild, stay home until you are feeling better.
“People have to realize that you still have to continue to wear masks,” Powell said. “That’s probably the most important thing that you can do, and socially distance and wash your hands.”