Symptoms
Symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can be very similar to other illnesses, such as colds and flu.
Most people will only have mild to moderate symptoms and recover quickly and will not need hospitalisation.
It’s important that you monitor your symptoms while you recover and get help if needed.
If you have tested positive to COVID-19 you should stay home while you continue to have acute symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose). This is when you are most infectious. You should continue to take extra precautions for at least 7 days to protect others at greater risk to severe outcomes from COVID-19.
Common symptoms
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
Adults (16 years of age and over)
- Fever (or signs of fever, including chills or night sweats)
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Sore or itchy throat
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of taste or smell.
Children (15 years of age and under)
- Fever
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Dry cough
- Loss of appetite or nausea
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Loss of or change in taste and smell
- Irritability.
Get tested if you have any of these symptoms, even if they are mild and even if you are up to date with your vaccinations.
Other symptoms
COVID-19 can also present with the following symptoms that can occur on their own or combined with the other symptoms:
- headaches
- muscle and joint pain
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- loss of appetite
- fatigue.
Hay fever symptoms
Hay fever symptoms can be similar to COVID-19 symptoms, which is why anyone with hay fever symptoms is advised to get tested for COVID-19 when their symptoms start or if the symptoms of hay fever change. Symptoms include:
- runny, itchy, or blocked nose
- sneezing
- itchy, sore, and watery eyes
- a cough.
What to do if you have symptoms
If you have any cold or flu-like symptoms you should stay at home and get tested for COVID-19, no matter how mild.
Stay at home and avoid contact with other people. If you have COVID-19, or cold or flu-like symptoms do not attend high-risk settings, including residential aged care facilities, hospitals (unless needing treatment), and disability residential settings.
When you have symptoms, it is important to maintain COVID Safe behaviours.
As with any illness, even if you’re feeling well or only slightly unwell, it’s important to monitor your symptoms and understand when you might need to get help.
It is very important to monitor symptoms when you or someone you care for gets COVID-19, particularly if you feel they are getting worse.
If you or someone you are caring for is experiencing mild symptoms, you/they are unlikely to need medical attention. You should monitor these symptoms and:
- rest
- drink plenty of water (aim to drink 2 to 2.5 litres a day)
- eat healthy food
- take medicines - as discussed with your doctor or pharmacist, or medicines that you usually already take.
Worsening symptoms
If you or the person you are caring for develops any of the following symptoms contact your usual GP or health care provider in the first instance, or if you or the person who is sick has tested positive to COVID-19 call the [email protected] care team on 1800 973 363.
Adults (16 years of age and over)
- Mild shortness of breath, or coughing, when moving around
- Severe muscle aches and pains
- Little or no urination
- Severe vomiting or diarrhoea.
Children (15 years of age and under)
- Headache
- Vomiting, diarrhoea
- Poor or no appetite; reduced intake of food or fluids
- Mild breathing difficulties.
If you feel that the symptoms are getting worse, or that something is wrong and you are concerned call your GP or heath care provider or if the person who is sick has tested positive to COVID-19 contact the [email protected] team.
Serious symptoms
Some symptoms are serious and should not be ignored. When severe symptoms occur in COVID-19 patients their health can deteriorate rapidly.
If symptoms worsen especially if they get worse quickly, or the following symptoms develop, go straight to hospital or call triple zero (000).
You must let the operator know you have COVID-19 so the paramedics know how to treat you safely.
Adults (16 years of age and over)
- Central or crushing chest pain
- Unconsciousness or a seizure (fit)
- Severe difficulty breathing, or turning blue
- Severe bleeding or inability to control bleeding with pressure
- Slurred or sudden inability to move or speak, or sudden facial drooping; or
- A severe accident.
Children (15 years of age and under)
- Working hard to breathe e.g., lots of effort with fast breathing or long pauses between breaths
- Very sleepy e.g., difficult to wake or confused
- Very dehydrated e.g., less wet nappies or going to the toilet less than usual, or extremely thirsty
- Severe chest or abdominal pain that does not go away after pain relief
- Persistent dizziness or headache
- Persistent fever that lasts more than five days, or a fever in a baby under 3 months old
- Pain or swelling in the legs.
