How long does new COVID last?

The course varies with the infection, your general health, and any medical conditions that affect your immune system or breathing. A cough, reduced energy, changes in smell or taste, or difficulty concentrating may remain after the main illness has eased.

Symptoms may change from day to day. Fever and body aches can settle first, while cough or fatigue may be slower to improve. Feeling better for a short time and then becoming tired after activity can happen during recovery.

Symptoms that continue, return, or interfere with work, sleep, or usual activities deserve a clinical assessment. Persistent symptoms after COVID-19 can form part of Long COVID, but ongoing symptoms can also have other explanations.

Rest when you need to, drink enough fluid to avoid dehydration, and return to normal activity gradually. Small, manageable tasks may be easier than trying to complete everything at once.

Use medicines for fever or discomfort only as directed on the label or by a clinician, especially if you have another condition or take regular medicines. Keep track of symptoms, activity, and any pattern of worsening so you can describe it accurately at an appointment.

Seek urgent medical help for severe difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, new confusion, inability to stay awake, or lips, face, or skin that look blue or grey. Get prompt advice if you cannot keep fluids down, are becoming unusually weak, or your breathing is getting worse.

Contact a clinician if symptoms are not gradually improving, improve and then worsen, or continue to limit daily life. Ask promptly about treatment options if you are at higher risk of severe COVID-19, because some treatments need to start early.

Ask: Which symptoms should I monitor at home? When is it safe for me to increase activity? Could my medicines or existing conditions affect recovery? If symptoms continue, what assessment would help identify the cause?