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How can you tell if

coronavirus symptoms
are mild, moderate or
severe?
Author: Sophia Tolliver, MD, MPH
Health and Wellness | Coronavirus March 18, 2020

Update: The CDC updated the list of COVID-19

symptoms on April 27 to include loss of taste or
smell; headache; body ache; chills and sore throat.

As COVID-19, caused by the coronavirus, continues to

spread across the world, and possibly in your city, it’s
important to know whether your symptoms are mild,
moderate or severe, and when to seek medical help.

Coronavirus typically causes the common cold or

other mild respiratory viral illnesses, but this new strain
can cause much more serious illness, even death, in
some patients. Previous novel coronavirus strains
include SARS and MERS, which affected other areas of
the world in recent years.

People at highest risk for severe illness from COVID-19

include those with pre-existing pulmonary disease, the
immune-compromised, infants and the elderly.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Coronaviruses typically cause symptoms that are
similar to influenza (the flu) and other viral illnesses.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:

Fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit

Tiredness, body aches
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Headache
Body ache
Chills
Loss of taste or smell

What are mild / moderate Coronavirus

symptoms?
The vast majority of patients have mild or moderate
symptoms and don't require hospitalization. With these
milder symptoms, you should stay home, rest and
avoid contact with others so you don’t spread the
virus. Drink plenty of fluids and take pain relievers as
needed.

Sometimes patients—usually those who are elderly or

with underlying health issues—may develop moderate
symptoms that could require some supportive care,
such as fluids for dehydration. You likely will have a
fever of 100.4 or higher, along with coughing and
feeling like you’re so tired that you can’t get out of
bed.

Another red flag is shortness of breath, particularly if

you’re not engaging in any activity. Any shortness of
breath combined with these other symptoms should
be checked out.

Even if you’re having moderate symptoms, you likely

won’t need to be hospitalized, unless you’re having
trouble drawing a breath or are dehydrated. You may
be dehydrated if you’re experiencing increased thirst,
dry mouth, decreased urine output, yellow urine, dry
skin, a headache or dizziness.

However, you could develop a mild form of pneumonia

despite having only mild to moderate symptoms,
especially if you’re elderly or have underlying health
conditions. In that case, you may require
hospitalization and antibiotics, along with
supplemental oxygen.

Generally, a mild to moderate case of COVID-19 will

run its course in about two weeks, according to a
World Health Organization (WHO) report.

If you have mild or moderate flu-like symptoms,

including fever (over 100.4) or cough, please avoid
visiting hospitals or ambulatory locations. Instead, call
your health care provider to determine the best course
of treatment. If you can’t reach a primary care provider
or don’t have one, questions can be answered through
public health officials.

If you have mild / moderate symptoms,

should you get tested for COVID-19?
According to data from WHO, 80% of laboratory
confirmed cases of COVID-19 cases exhibited mild to
moderate symptoms. The decision to recommend for
testing of mild to moderate respiratory symptoms
potentially concerning for COVID-19 will be a carefully
crafted decision involving primary care providers and
local COVID-19 testing facilities.

The decision won’t only be based on your physical

symptoms, but will also consider your age, underlying
diseases, illness exposures, travel history and
progression of symptoms.

Additionally, until testing resources have ramped up to

full capacity to test every patient who’s showing
symptoms, the existing supplies will need to be
distributed to the most severe and risky cases
of potential illness to ensure proper diagnosis and
treatment.

If you feel that you’re experiencing mild symptoms,

call your health care provider and consider increasing
social distancing efforts, and maybe even undertaking
self-quarantine.

If symptoms worsen, alert your primary care provider

as soon as possible to re-evaluate your illness. If your
symptoms are more moderate, speak with your health
care provider to see if COVID-19 testing is right for
you.

If you don't have a primary care provider, call Ohio

State Telehealth Immediate Care at 614-293-3200.

What are severe coronavirus symptoms?

In about one in five patients, the disease will worsen,
with about 14% of cases developing into severe
disease in which patients may need supplemental
oxygen. And 6% of cases become critical and may
develop septic shock that can lead to stroke, heart or
respiratory failure, failure of other organs or death.

Symptoms can worsen in some patients in a matter of

days, or even hours.

In addition, in some of the worst cases, the virus can

enter lung cells and start replicating and killing the
cells. When the immune system creates inflammation
to fight the virus, this can sometimes result in a more
severe form of pneumonia.

If you're experiencing severe coronavirus symptoms,

particularly shortness of breath coupled with a fever of
100.4 or higher, visit the nearest emergency
department. Call ahead to let them know you’re on
your way so that they can take precautionary
measures to help prevent spreading the disease.

Sophia Tolliver is a primary care provider at The Ohio

State University Wexner Medical Center and an
assistant professor of family medicine at The Ohio
State University College of Medicine.

Patient Safety at Ohio State

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19

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