If you suspect you have COVID-19, understanding the current guidance is important for personal health and community well-being. This article provides a straightforward overview, addressing how to recognize symptoms, confirm the virus’s presence, and navigate the next steps.
Identifying Potential Symptoms
Recognizing the signs of a possible COVID-19 infection involves observing changes in your body. Common symptoms include fever, chills, a new or continuous cough, and shortness of breath. Some individuals may also experience fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, a sore throat, congestion, a runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Loss of taste or smell was a notable symptom with earlier variants, though this can vary with newer strains.
Symptoms can differ significantly among individuals and may also change with new variants. Some people experience only mild symptoms, while others develop a more severe illness. Asymptomatic cases also occur, where individuals carry the virus and can transmit it without showing outward signs. Symptoms typically appear within 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, and while they may start mildly, they can progress over time.
Confirming the Presence of the Virus
Diagnostic testing is necessary to confirm the presence of the virus. Two primary types of viral tests detect a current SARS-CoV-2 infection: Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs), which include PCR tests, and antigen tests. NAATs are considered the “gold standard” for COVID-19 diagnosis due to their high sensitivity in detecting viral genetic material. These tests typically involve a sample taken by a healthcare provider, which is then sent to a laboratory, with results potentially taking up to three days.
Antigen tests, often rapid self-tests, work by detecting specific viral proteins and can provide results quickly, usually within 15 to 30 minutes. While positive antigen tests are generally accurate, these tests are less sensitive than NAATs, particularly when symptoms are not present. For symptomatic individuals, the FDA recommends two negative antigen tests performed 48 hours apart to confirm not having COVID-19, while those without symptoms may need three tests. A single NAAT test can also be used to confirm an antigen test result.
What to Do Next
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have received a positive test result, isolating yourself from others helps prevent further spread. This means staying home and avoiding contact with others, especially those who are more susceptible to severe illness, such as individuals with weakened immune systems. The duration of isolation can vary, with some guidelines suggesting 5 days after a positive test for adults, and 3 days for children, provided symptoms are improving and there is no fever.
Monitor your symptoms closely. If your symptoms worsen or you experience emergency warning signs like trouble breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, new confusion, or inability to wake or stay awake, seek immediate medical attention. Informing close contacts about your positive test result allows them to take precautions and consider testing themselves, helping to limit the chain of transmission. You can return to normal activities when you feel better and do not have a high temperature without the use of fever-reducing medication.