When you have COVID-19, you will be told to isolate and stay away from others until you get better. But while many people do improve at home with a combination of medication, rest, hydration, and time, others require additional medical intervention.
While we know the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., cough, fatigue), there are some COVID-19 symptoms that are not normal and should not be treated as such.
Health: Doctors sound alarm as numbers of worrying disease ‘higher than pre-pandemic’
“What’s really important is making sure people are aware of certain conditions that may require hospital-level care or [care from] Dr. Syra Madad, an infectious disease epidemiologist and researcher at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, said:
Below, experts share what COVID-19-related issues should cause immediate alarm, as well as some suggestions for steps to take:
Breathing problems, high fever, dizziness, and confusion are all reasons that require immediate medical attention.
Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, national medical director for Amazon One Medical, said red flag symptoms include shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
“We always say if someone is really having trouble breathing, so they’re actually gasping for air, that’s a trip to the emergency room,” Buyan said.
Health: COVID cases may be declining, but doctors see increase in another respiratory illness
Dr. Mohammad Mahdee Sobhanie, an infectious disease physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explained that when you are infected with COVID-19, there is a phase where the virus replicates rapidly, and then there is an inflammatory response phase where your body fights the virus. “And… sometimes inflammation can affect other areas, and what we’ve been worried about is the lungs.” If you have COVID-19 and find yourself having difficulty breathing when walking, sitting or talking, you should go to the emergency room, he noted.
Sobani also noted that chest pain is another red flag symptom that should trigger an emergency room visit. The same goes for blue lips, Madad said.
Sobani says if you have a pulse oximeter at home (or a smartwatch that can notify you of your blood oxygen saturation) and you notice that your blood oxygen levels are low, you should seek medical help.
Problems such as dizziness, confusion, or lightheadedness also require immediate medical attention. “Some of the really worrisome symptoms … maybe you have someone in your family who has COVID and now they’re confused, or they don’t make sense, or they’re disoriented, and I think those are reasons to go to the emergency room,” Buyan said.
Finally, beware of high fevers above 103 degrees Fahrenheit. High fevers sometimes require a trip to the emergency room, but can usually be controlled by a primary care provider, Bhuyan added. If you are unsure, it is best to seek help immediately as a precautionary measure.
We know the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., cough, fatigue), but there are also some COVID-19 symptoms that are not normal and should not be treated as such. Valentin Rusanov (Getty Images)
If you are in a high-risk group, you should contact your doctor immediately if you test positive.
“I think you also have to be very aware of what other underlying conditions you have. The patient group that I’m always concerned about is the immunocompromised patients … and those patients, if they get COVID, they need to talk to their doctor right away because their doctor likes to be very proactive early on when it comes to COVID,” Sobani said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high-risk groups include people over 50, people with underlying health conditions like COPD and heart disease, and people who are immunocompromised, as Sobhanie mentioned above.
Health: How to tell if you’re still contagious if you’re sick
You should tell your doctor if your general symptoms worsen.
“If you have worsening symptoms, such as a worsening sore throat or worsening cough, or a worsening fever or headache, I think that’s definitely another red flag that you should seek health care,” Madad said.
In this case, she says, you should let your doctor know what symptoms you are experiencing and whether they are getting worse.
“We generally expect that on the first day or two, people might feel their throat scratching a little bit, they might feel like they’re sick, [and] “Usually on the third or fourth day, symptoms become more severe and peak,” Buyan said. “From that point on, people tend to get better.”
She says it may take seven days to feel better, or it may take 10 to 14 days, which is normal. “But … if someone actually starts to get worse on the sixth or seventh day, it’s really important that they reach out for help [a] Primary care provider. Buyan added that this may indicate that the new coronavirus infection is evolving into bacterial pneumonia in the lungs.
All in all, it’s never a bad idea to tell your doctor about your COVID-19 infection. For example, there are antiviral medications that can help with your problem. Also, it’s always good to keep your doctor informed about your COVID-19 infection so they can help you on the road to recovery and monitor your progress.
Shortness of breath and chest pain are two symptoms of COVID-19 that you should seek medical attention for. FatCamera by Getty Images
The same COVID-19 treatment options are still important to stay healthy.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is effective in preventing hospitalization and death… That being said, someone may get the COVID-19 vaccine, or they may have been infected with COVID-19 before, but they could still get COVID-19,” Buyan said. The purpose of the shot is to reduce the severity of the disease, not prevent it entirely.
Sobani said it’s not too late to get the COVID-19 vaccine this season, if you can still get it. But you should talk to your doctor about the best time to get the shot — if you’ve recently been infected with coronavirus, you’ll have to wait a while before getting the shot.
Health: The most common COVID-19 symptoms doctors are seeing in winter 2025
In addition to vaccinations, Madad also suggested a return to the “Swiss cheese model of COVID defense.”
“We have all become accustomed to this during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swiss cheese model is layer upon layer of infection prevention measures. As far as we know, no layer provides 100 percent protection,” Madad said.
This includes wearing a mask in crowded spaces, keeping your distance from others who may be sick, and staying up to date on vaccinations.
Winter is always a time when viruses are active, whether it’s COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus or other illnesses. The above measures also apply to protecting yourself against all respiratory diseases currently circulating.
Related…
Read the original article on The Huffington Post
