The new coronavirus has an incubation period (period between infection and the onset of symptoms) of approximately 14 days. Fever, dry cough and shortness of breath are the main symptoms of the disease.
In addition to that, some patients may also have body aches, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat, and diarrhea.
Symptoms generally appear mild and gradual, and many patients can heal without the need for special treatment. However, some people can worsen, developing breathing difficulties, and may even die. Older people and individuals who already have certain health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and diabetes, are more likely to worsen the disease.
But, at this time of year, it is also common to have symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, headache, and fatigue due to flu viruses, which cause common colds. According to experts, the symptoms should be controlled and, if they remain mild, they can be treated at home.
In the case of a cold, the symptoms tend to be even milder and generally only respiratory: runny nose, stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat, but not all occur at the same time.
Allergic respiratory syndromes, common in periods like fall and spring, can cause a runny nose and a stuffy nose, common in colds, flu, and COVID-19. But they are usually marked by sneezing and unlikely to cause a cough or fever.
Although many cases of COVID-19 are mild and asymptomatic, and that young people are not the most affected by the disease, it is very important to note that no one is 100% immune to the virus. US officials reported that a significant percentage of serious hospital admissions for coronavirus are people in their 20s and 50s. Even if the cases do not require hospitalization, abiding by the quarantine period helps prevent the spread of the virus.
If you are coughing and have other mild symptoms, you should not forget to wear a mask when coming into contact with others and thoroughly clean the surfaces you come in contact with. You might not have covid-19, but at a time like this, every precaution is welcome.