What You Need to Know about the Symptoms of Coronavirus

The disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, known commonly as COVID-19, has a staggeringly wide range of symptoms. With the pandemic showing no sign yet of slowing down in the United States—and in fact with cases increasing in many areas across the country—it is important to understand how to identify early signs and symptoms so that you can avoid spreading the virus to other people in your community. If you experience any of the early signs, it is important that you be tested as soon as possible and—in the meantime—isolate yourself at home. Read on to learn about some of the possible signs.

The Most Common Symptoms Of COVID-19

There are many types of coronaviruses around the world that can cause a variety of respiratory symptoms in humans. Some of these viruses can also cause symptoms that are more severe. People with SARS-CoV-2 experience symptoms such as a fever, cough, and headache. In fact, many doctors have reported that a fever with a severe headache is an extremely common presentation of COVID-19. Like many other similar respiratory illnesses, additional symptoms could include feelings of intense fatigue, body aches, chills, and even nausea. A more distinct symptom of COVID-19—one that is not often seen in other common respiratory illnesses—is shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Unusual Symptoms

COVID-19 is quite a unique illness in its presentation, as the range of symptoms and the severity can prove quite broad. For some, the illness is nothing more than a minor inconvenience, while for others it can be a life-threatening illness, sometimes even requiring a ventilator and hospitalization. There are some other symptoms of COVID-19 that are downright strange. Some individuals who have tested positive for the disease experienced what many are calling “COVID toe,” which presents as pain and discoloration in the feet and toes accompanied by an uncomfortable burning and itching sensation. Another somewhat unusual symptom of COVID-19 is a sudden loss of smell and taste, which is not accompanied by any nasal congestion. In fact, many experts now believe this could be one of the earliest indicators of infection. Moreover, gastrointestinal symptoms are sometimes experienced in the early stages of the illness. Some individuals even experience only one day of gastrointestinal upset or loss of appetite before developing the more common respiratory symptoms and fever.

Growing Knowledge

As we continue to learn more about COVID-19, our knowledge of which symptoms are more common and how the disease presents will continue to grow. We can only rely on continued research and observation to help us learn more about the disease and manage it better in the future.