COVID-19 Basics
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The virus can be very contagious and spreads mainly by breathing in air that has small droplets and particles that contain the virus. It can also be spread by droplets and particles landing in someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth. Sometimes, the infected person may contaminate surfaces they touch, but this is uncommon. Anyone with COVID-19 can spread the illness, even if they do NOT have symptoms.
For more information on COVID-19, please visit:
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus and can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms (not a complete list) include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Muscle or body aches
- New loss of taste or smell, or an altered sense of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Congestion/runny nose
- Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)
For more information visit CDC’s Symptoms of COVID-19 webpage.
There are many strategies to prevent COVID-19:
- Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines to protect against serious illness, hospitalization, and death.
- Practicing good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
- Increase ventilation in indoor spaces, such as bringing in more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
- Added precautions can be layered in to prevent getting sick as needed, such as getting tested physical distancing, and wearing a mask.
- If you have COVID-19:
- Stay home, and
- Get treated as soon as possible if you are at high-risk for severe COVID-19.
- Visit VDH’s Precautions When Sick) and CDC’s How to Protect Yourself and Others webpage for more information.
- If you have symptoms, stay home and away from others for at least 5 days. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both of these are true:
- Your symptoms are getting better overall, AND
- You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
- Once you resume normal activities, take added precautions for the next five days.
- If you don’t have symptoms
- You do not need to stay home but might still be contagious and able to spread the virus.
- Take added precautions for the next five days.
- If you start to feel worse or get a fever after you have gone back to normal activities, stay home and away from others again and follow the steps above.
- If you are at risk for severe illness talk with your healthcare provider right away to see if you are eligible for treatment. Visit VDH’s COVID-19 treatment webpage for more information.
- Visit VDH’s Precautions When Sick webpage for more information.
People who are in one or more of the following groups are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness:
- Older adults (generally aged 50 or older)
- People with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised)
- Pregnant people
- People of any age with certain medical conditions and disabilities
- For more information visit CDC’s page about who is at risk for serious illness
Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness, and their symptoms can often be managed with over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil).
Prescription medications are available for those at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 that can reduce the chance of being hospitalized or dying from the disease. These treatments must be taken as soon as possible after symptoms start to be effective. If you have COVID-19 and are at risk for the development of severe illness, it is important that you contact your medical provider promptly to see if a prescription medication is appropriate for you. Visit the VDH COVID-19 Treatment Webpage for more information.