CoViD Symptoms

Symptom series

Three classics, fever, persistent cough, anosmia

Four million contributions, 20 to look out for

Reported more often by people who have a positive test than those testing negative

Some people may only experience one symptom during the whole course of their illness

Others may have many.

The more symptoms you have, increased risk of needing hospitalisation

Fever

Chills, shivers, rigor

About 40% of cases

60% do not have a fever

One in 20, fever is the only feature

First week of illness, usually short lived

Under 65, 37.8 C, 100.04

Over 65, 37.4 C 99.32

Often with symptoms like fatigue and headaches, persistent coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, sore throat, skipped meals, unusual muscle pains, dizziness, diarrhoea

Persistent cough

About 46% of cases in adults

54% do not have a persistent cough

One in 10, persistent cough is the only feature

Cough in children

26% have a persistent cough

74% do not

Usually starts early or in the first few days

Usually lasts 4 or 5 days

Usually a dry (unproductive) cough

Unless normally cough up phlegm or mucus

If start coughing up yellow or green phlegm (‘gunk’), additional bacterial infection

Often with symptoms like a sore throat, chest pain, shortness of breath, hoarseness and loss of smell.

Coughs and sneezes spread diseases

Anosmia

Loss or change of taste, dysgeusia

Changes in smell perception

Usually starts early, lasts for 5 days

May last for several weeks

Adults, 16 - 65

60%, at some point in their illness

Only symptom, 38%

Over 65s

About 50%

Only symptom, 15%

Children

35%

Only symptom, 22%

Often occurs with fatigue tiredness and headaches, fever, sore throat, persistent cough

Older people, skip meals, unusual muscle pains

Headache

What are headaches like in COVID-19?

Often an early symptom

More common than the classic symptoms of cough, fever and loss of smell

Most people with a headache will not have COVID-19

Only symptom, 15%

Adults

About 70%

Children

About 60%

COVID headaches, tend to:

Be moderately to severely painful

Feel ‘pulsing’, ‘pressing’ or ‘stabbing’

Occur across both sides of the head (bilateral) rather than in one area

Last for more than three days

Be resistant to regular painkillers

We aren’t sure why COVID-19 causes headaches

Usually comes on at the very start of the illness

Usually lasts for three to five days

Some people can suffer headaches for much longer

Commonly reported in Post COVID syndrome (Long-COVID)

These headaches often come and go but gradually reduce over time

Often occurs with fatigue, loss of smell (anosmia), sore throat, fever, unusual muscle pains, a persistent cough, dizziness

Unusual tiredness (fatigue)

Sore throat

Sudden confusion (delirium), especially in older people

Skin rash

Changes in the mouth or tongue (COVID tongue)

Red and sore fingers or toes (COVID fingers/toes)

Shortness of breath

Chest pains

Muscle pains

Hoarse voice

Diarrhoea

Skipping meals

Abdominal pains

Runny nose