Overview
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause illnesses such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In 2019, a new coronavirus was identified as the cause of a disease outbreak that originated in China.
The virus is known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus dua (SARS-CoV-2). The disease it causes is called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
Public health groups, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO, are monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and posting updates on their websites. These groups have also issued recommendations for preventing and treating the virus that causes COVID-19.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure. This time after exposure and before having symptoms is called the incubation period. You can still spread COVID-19 before you have symptoms (presymptomatic transmission). Common signs and symptoms can include:FeverCoughTiredness
Early symptoms of COVID-19 may include a loss of taste or smell.
Other symptoms can include:Shortness of breath or difficulty breathingMuscle achesChillsSore throatRunny noseHeadacheChest painPink eye (conjunctivitis)NauseaVomitingDiarrheaRash
This list isn't complete. Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.
The severity of COVID-19 symptoms can range from very mild to severe. Some people may have only a few symptoms. Some people may have no symptoms at all, but can still spread it (asymptomatic transmission). Some people may experience worsened symptoms, such as worsened shortness of breath and pneumonia, about a week after symptoms start.
Some people experience COVID-19 symptoms for more than four weeks after they're diagnosed. These health issues are sometimes called post-COVID-19 conditions. Some children experience multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a syndrome that can affect some organs and tissues, several weeks after having COVID-19. Rarely, some adults experience the syndrome too.
People who are older have a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and the risk increases with age. People who have existing medical conditions also may have a higher risk of serious illness. Certain medical conditions that may increase the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 include:Serious heart diseases, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathyCancerChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)Type 1 or type 2 diabetesOverweight, obesity or severe obesityHigh blood pressureSmokingChronic kidney diseaseSickle cell disease or thalassemiaWeakened immune system from solid organ transplants or bone marrow transplantsPregnancyAsthmaChronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis or pulmonary hypertensionLiver diseaseDementiaDown syndromeWeakened immune system from bone marrow transplant, HIV or some medicationsBrain and nervous system conditions, such as strokesSubstance use disorders
This list is not complete. Other medical conditions may increase your risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
COVID-19 self-checker
Assess your symptoms on CDC’s coronavirus self-checker tool and find out if you’re a candidate for a COVID-19 test.
When to see a doctor
If you have COVID-19 signs or symptoms or you've been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, contact your health care provider right away for medical advice. Your health care provider will likely recommend that you get tested for COVID-19. If you have emergency COVID-19 symptoms, such as trouble breathing, seek care immediately. If you need to go to a hospital, call ahead so that health care providers can take steps to ensure that others aren't exposed.
If you have emergency COVID-19 signs and symptoms, seek care immediately. Emergency signs and symptoms can include:Trouble breathingPersistent chest pain or pressureInability to stay awakeNew confusionPale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips or nail beds — depending on skin tone
This list isn't complete. Let your health care provider know if you are an older adult or have chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease or lung disease, as you may have a greater risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
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Causes
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus dua, or SARS-CoV-2, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily among people. Data has shown that the COVID-19 virus spreads mainly from person to person among those in close contact (within about 6 feet, or dua meters). The virus spreads by respiratory droplets released when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings or talks. These droplets can be inhaled or land in the mouth, nose or eyes of a person nearby.
Sometimes the COVID-19 virus can spread when a person is exposed to very small droplets or aerosols that stay in the air for several minutes or hours — called airborne transmission.
The virus can also spread if you touch a surface with the virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. But the risk is low.
The COVID-19 virus can spread from someone who is infected but has no symptoms. This is called asymptomatic transmission. The COVID-19 virus can also spread from someone who is infected but hasn't developed symptoms yet. This is called presymptomatic transmission.
It's possible to get COVID-19 twice or more, but this is uncommon.
When a virus has one or more new mutations it’s called a variant of the original virus. Currently, the CDC has identified two variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 as variants of concern. These include the delta (B.1.617.2) variant and the omicron (B.1.1.529) variant. The delta variant is more contagious than earlier variants and might cause more severe disease. The omicron variant spreads more easily than other variants, including delta. But omicron appears to cause less severe disease. Omicron has a few major offshoots (sublineages), including BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3.
Risk factors
Risk factors for COVID-19 appear to include:Close contact (within 6 feet, or 2 meters) with someone who has COVID-19Being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person
Complications
Although most people with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms, the disease can cause severe medical complications and lead to death in some people. Older adults or people with existing medical conditions are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19.
Complications can include:Pneumonia and trouble breathing Organ failure in several organsHeart problemsA severe lung condition that causes a low amount of oxygen to go through your bloodstream to your organs (acute respiratory distress syndrome)Blood clotsAcute kidney injuryAdditional viral and bacterial infections
Prevention
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency use authorization to some COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, now called Comirnaty, to prevent COVID-19 in people age 16 and older. The FDA has given emergency use authorization to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for ages lima through 15. The FDA has approved the Moderna vaccine, now called Spikevax, to prevent COVID-19 in people age 18 and older.
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