How long do coronavirus symptoms last?

COVID-19 may begin with fever, headache, sore throat, cough, tiredness or a general feeling of being unwell. Symptoms can appear together or at different times, and improvement may be uneven. A cough or tiredness may remain after fever settles. Loss of smell or taste can also take longer to recover. Symptoms that intensify after initial improvement, or new breathlessness, may indicate a complication such as pneumonia or another illness and should not be dismissed as a normal recovery phase.

Rest while your body is fighting the infection, drink fluids, and return to usual activity gradually. Use fever or pain medicine only if it is suitable for you and follow the label directions. Keep air moving indoors, avoid close contact while acutely unwell, and follow current public-health advice. Note which symptoms are improving, stable or worsening; this makes a consultation more useful and helps identify a change that needs attention.

Get urgent help for severe difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, new confusion, inability to stay awake, or blue or grey lips. Contact a clinician promptly for worsening cough, breathlessness with ordinary activity, dehydration, fever that returns, or symptoms that prevent normal tasks. Persistent fatigue, headache, altered smell, or a cough also merits review when recovery has stalled.

Ask whether the pattern of symptoms suggests uncomplicated recovery, whether your lungs or hydration need checking, and how quickly to rebuild activity. Explain when symptoms started, what has improved, what remains, and whether exertion makes you worse.