About COVID-19
COVID-19 is a very contagious disease caused by a virus (SARS-CoV-2). It easily spreads when someone who has COVID-19 talks, coughs or sneezes near others.
COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. People report a wide range of symptoms – from mild to severe illness. It sometimes feels like a cold or flu, but it can also harm other parts of the body.
Signs and symptoms
Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become very sick. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to COVID-19.
Symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
When to seek emergency medical care
Seek emergency medical care immediately if you have any of these signs:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds, depending on skin tone
In the event of an emergency, call 911.
What to do if you feel sick
- Stay home and away from other people – except to get medical care.
- Get tested for COVID-19 and talk with a health care provider about treatment:
- Contact your health care provider, community health center or your local health department. You may be able to get tested and get treatment during the same visit.
- Want to test at home? Find where to get home tests and what to do if you test positive for COVID-19.
Getting Tested for COVID-19
Treatment and Recovery
The FDA has approved or authorized several antiviral medications to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19. All treatments require a prescription from a health care provider.
- Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir) are pills you can take. You have to start taking them within five days of your first symptoms.
- Veklury (remdesivir) is an intravenous (IV) infusion that is given at a doctor’s office. It must be started within seven days of your first symptoms.
Treatments are not a substitute for vaccination. Vaccines offer the best protection against COVID-19.
Patient assistance programs are available to help lower the cost of COVID-19 treatments, even if you don’t have insurance.
Find out if you are eligible and enroll:
- Paxlovid: Visit the PAXCESS Patient Support Program online or call 1-877-219-7225.
- Lagevrio: Visit the Merck Patient Assistance Program online or call 800-727-5400.
- For privately insured, go to the Merck Co-Pay Savings Program to download a coupon to help save on out-of-pocket costs.
- Veklury: Visit Gilead’s Advancing Access online or call 1-800-226-2056 (Option 4).
Some people may feel better then have a return of symptoms or a new positive test three to seven days later. COVID-19 rebound symptoms are typically mild. Rebound can happen regardless of whether you’ve gotten treatment.
The benefits of treatment outweigh the risk of rebound if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19. Research shows no increased risk of severe COVID-19 in people who experience rebound after treatment. Learn more about COVID-19 Rebound.
What to know about COVID-19 variants
Viruses are always changing (mutating). These changes are known as variants, or new strains. A new strain is slightly different than the previous strain.
The best way to slow the emergence of new variants is to reduce the spread of infection. You can help by taking measures to protect yourself. The most important is getting vaccinated.
The CDC tracks COVID-19 variants across the United States and shares updates every other week.
This page was last modified on 08/03/2026