COVID-19 Symptoms: Progression and Management

COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, usually after 4-5 days. The first symptom to develop is likely fever, which usually develops in the first week of illness.

Fever can develop in combination with other symptoms such as:

• chills
• repeated shaking with chills,
• muscle pain
• headache
• sore throat
• new loss of taste or smell
• congestion or runny nose
• nausea or vomiting, and
• pneumonia.

A person who develops severe COVID-19 may experience the following symptoms:

• shortness of breath or difficulty of breathing,
• confusion,
• chest pain or pressure, and
• difficulty moving or talking.

People who experience these symptoms must seek immediate medical attention.

Fortunately, mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms can be managed at home through the following steps:

• Take over-the-counter fever medications such as paracetamol, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, which can also help ease muscle pain and headache.
• Drink lots of water, fresh fruit juices, and mild tea.
• Ensure your room has adequate ventilation.
• To help alleviate sore throat, drink salabat (ginger tea), gargle with warm saline solution, or take medicated throat lozenges.
• Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water. Everyone in your home should do the same, especially after being near the person who is sick.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol or rubbing alcohol. A variety of rubbing alcohol brands are available in the market. These include isopropyl and ethyl alcohol (usually 70% concentration), and scented rubbing alcohol with or without moisturizer.

Talk to your doctor for more information on how to manage mild COVID-19 at home.

Shop at Watsons for prescription medications and other essential healthcare needs.

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/covid-19-symptoms-usually-show-up-in-this-order#The-bottom-line. Accessed 15 September 2021
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html. Accessed 15 September 2021
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/progression-of-covid-19-symptoms#summary. Accessed 15 September 2021
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html. Accessed 15 September 2021
https://caro.doh.gov.ph/how-to-take-care-of-a-person-with-covid-19-at-home/. Accessed 15 September 2021
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/qa-consumers-hand-sanitizers-and-covid-19. Accessed 15 September 2021