Perhaps one of the most worrying aspects of COVID-19 is that it has been widely publicized there are only three symptoms. This is actually very misleading. Symptoms vary drastically and can appear as early as two days following exposure up to 14. The severity ranges from no symptoms at all to sudden, severe symptoms requiring hospitalization. It can last about 17 days to get over the virus, but as we know it can also be fatal. So, understanding what the virus can actually look like is important if we want to see more people with the virus staying home. There are some commonalities we can all watch for as a clue we need to self-isolate. (1)
Most Common Symptoms Of COVID-19
- Fever: 88% of those who contracted the illness experienced fever.
- Dry Cough: 67.7% of people started with a dry cough.
- Shortness of Breath: 18.6% experience shortness of breath.
- Phlegm Production: 33.4% have phlegm production.
Other symptoms include:
- Fatigue about ~40%
- Sore throat and headache ~12%
- Joint and muscle pain ~15%
- Chills ~10%
- Runny nose below 10%
As you can see there are far more symptoms than fever, cough, and shortness of breath. (1)
Underlying Issues Of COVID-19
It isn’t until about day five of the virus that people with underlying health issues will suffer from breathing difficulty. On average people will visit the hospital by day seven when symptoms persist. People with mild cases will begin to feel fine by day five, while those with moderate to severe cases will develop pneumonia. Once pneumonia sets in, it can take weeks for patients to feel better. However, severe and critical cases with pneumonia can develop into Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). (1)
What Is ARSD?
ARSD occurs when the immune system floods the lungs with cells meant to target the virus but becomes too aggressive and attacks healthy cells as well. Unfortunately, 30-40% of patients who develop ARDS will not survive. Most cases of COVID-19 are survivable, and your best bet is to stay home to avoid contracting the virus. (1)
Many Do Not Experience Shortness Of Breath
According to COVID-19 patient, Elizabeth Schneider, she first experienced a scratchy throat in hand with headache and exhaustion. However, she never experienced shortness of breath or even a cough. With such a broad range of symptoms, many people do not even realize they have COVID-19. (2)
Three Days Following Contact
Elizabeth contracted her virus at a party in Seattle on Saturday, Feb. 22. She began to feel ill three days later with grogginess. She went to work feeling she had a cold. “I had a headache and body aches and a little fever,” she says. Everyone who contracted the virus at the party has since recovered. However, their experience offers insight into more realistic symptoms and what one might expect from the illness. (2)
Because she didn’t experience the cough, shortness of breath or chest tightness, she didn’t realize she had the coronavirus. “That evening my temperature spiked up to 103 and I started shivering uncontrollably. I could barely brush my teeth and take out my contacts and go to bed,” she says. (2)
12 Days To Recover
While over-the-counter cold medicine helped her sleep and reduced her fever, she was in bed for two days and didn’t feel completely well for 12 days. No one among the party-goers who also contracted the virus had respiratory symptoms. Instead, they reported a dry cough or tickle in the throat. One of the seven with COVID-19 had low-level pneumonia. “I think this virus just has the whole kit and caboodle,” says Elizabeth. “It all varies depending on how bad you get it.” (2)
Breathing Symptoms
For Noelle Ruiz, of Los Altos, California, her symptoms started with a fever, headache and sinus pressure. She later developed chest pain, and by day six her symptoms had worsened. “I was sleeping 19 hours a day. I felt nauseous. When I’d get up to go to the kitchen, I’d run out of breath. It was like I was doing exercises, but I’d only walked the distance of the room,” says the 27-year-old. “I couldn’t really take a deep breath, I didn’t feel like I had enough air in my lungs.” (2)
Another symptom reported of late is a loss of smell. Noelle had that in hand with a loss of taste. (2)
The moral of the story here folks is if you don’t feel well, just stay home. And, even if you do, still stay home.
