The following symptoms are considered mild in adults:
Some adults have no symptoms at all.
The following symptoms are considered mild in children:
Some children have no symptoms at all.
A skin rash is a less common symptom of COVID-19. It may occur at different stages of the disease and in different forms. This may happen in both adults and children.
You should discuss skin changes related to COVID-19 with a doctor. Treatment may be needed in some instances.
If you have any cold and flu like symptoms of COVID-19 — even if they are mild — you should get tested and stay at home while you are experiencing symptoms.
You should not visit high-risk places, such as hospitals, and aged and disability care places, for at least 7 days or until symptoms have gone or unless seeking immediate medical care.
Most people will have mild symptoms and can manage COVID-19 at home with over-the-counter medicines.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has developed a guide for people managing COVID at home.
You should contact a GP if you feel dizzy or lightheaded or your symptoms start to worsen.
You should contact a GP or health service if you’re pregnant, have any chronic conditions or have any concerns about your health. Your doctor may be able to assess you over the phone or by video.
Some people may be eligible to get COVID-19 oral medication prescribed by a doctor to reduce their chance of severe illness or hospitalisation. It is important to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible so you can get treatment early.
You can use the COVID-19 Symptom and Antiviral Eligibility Checker to find out if you are eligible for COVID-19 medication or if you need to get tested or seek medical help.
Wear a mask when in the practice and tell staff straight away that you have COVID-19.
If you experience any severe symptoms call triple zero (000) for an ambulance and tell the ambulance staff that you have COVID-19.
COVID-19 is usually milder in children than in adults — it only very rarely causes severe illness. Around 98% of children and adolescents either get mild infection or have no symptoms at all.
Of those who do get symptoms, the illness is usually very similar to other respiratory viral illnesses — the most common symptoms are fever and cough. Children can also have symptoms like a runny nose and tiredness. Some children may have gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhoea or vomiting.
Some children may need hospitalisation and a smaller number may need to have intensive care. Studies have shown that children and adolescents with underlying medical conditions have a greater risk of developing severe disease and complications from COVID-19.
The conditions in children that increase the risk of being hospitalised with COVID-19 include but are not limited to:
Visit Pregnancy, Birth and Baby for more information on children and COVID-19.
The following symptoms are considered moderate in adults:
The following symptoms are considered moderate in children:
The following symptoms are considered severe in adults:
If you are experiencing any severe symptoms call triple zero (000) for an ambulance and tell the ambulance staff that you have COVID-19.
The following symptoms are considered severe in children:
If your child has any of these symptoms call triple zero (000) right now and ask for an ambulance.
The COVID-19 incubation period, which is the time between when a person is exposed to the virus and when their symptoms first appear, ranges from 1 to 14 days. Most people develop symptoms 5 to 6 days after being in contact with a person who has COVID-19.
If you have COVID-19, you are considered infectious generally from 48 hours before your symptoms develop (or before your positive test if you don’t have any symptoms).
If you still have symptoms, you may still be contagious. However, people with COVID-19 can still transmit the virus whether they have symptoms or not.
People who still have acute respiratory symptoms after 7 days are still considered infectious. Acute symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath and sore throat.
Some people are more at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. If you are more at risk and are feeling unwell, take a test as soon as you can. Speak to a doctor immediately if you are positive for COVID-19.
You are at a high risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19 and needing hospital treatment if you:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people living in remote communities are at greater risk of COVID-19 for the following reasons:
If your immune system is compromised, you are more likely to become severely ill with COVID-19.
You are considered moderately to severely immunocompromised if you have:
The risk of serious illness from COVID-19 increases with age, particularly for people over 70 years old. This risk increases if you have a chronic condition or a weakened immune system.
People living with dementia or some form of cognitive condition may be less able to follow instructions or to let others know about possible COVID-19 symptoms. This is especially so if they find it difficult to communicate verbally or to express pain and discomfort. Someone who knows a person with dementia may be able to help see changes in their health.
Some people with disability will be at greater risk of serious illness from COVID-19 because they:
If you are pregnant and have COVID-19, you have a higher risk of certain complications than non-pregnant females with COVID-19 of the same age. There is an increased risk of being admitted to hospital as well as needing ventilation.
COVID-19 also increases the risk of certain pregnancy complications including premature birth and stillbirth, or your baby needing admission to a newborn care unit. If you have certain health conditions, you’re more likely to have severe illness if you get COVID-19 during pregnancy. These conditions include:
Visit Pregnancy, Birth and Baby for more information about pregnancy and COVID-19.
Conditions that can increase your risk of severe COVID-19 illness include:
COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2. The seasonal flu is caused by different types of influenza virus.
Both diseases are infections and can cause respiratory symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose and cough, as well as fever.
However, there are some differences:
Acute epiglottitis This refers to acute inflammation of the epiglottis, which is often caused by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae type B. It needs to be recognised and treated quickly as it can lead to airway obstruction. It usually presents in children. However, due to the Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccination, its prevalence has decreased. Symptoms Rapid onset high fever and malaise Drooling of saliva Muffled voice – due to very sore throat Inspiratory stridor (is a high-pitched sound due to turbulent air flow in the upper airway) Key tests Usually clinical diagnosis, but fibre-optic laryngoscopy may be performed
Pneumonia This used to describe a lower respiratory tract infection which often occurs when normal defences are impaired It is a blanket term which can be subdivided into a number of types, with different causes and features: Lobar pneumonia This is characterised by continuous consolidation of a lobe of the lung. It is most frequently due to a bacterial agent, e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. Bronchopneumonia This is characterised by discontinuous areas of consolidation, often bilaterally in the basal lobes, with predominance around the bronchioles. It is usually caused by bacterial agents: Staph
We seek to create a comprehensive medical encyclopedia that serves medical workers as well as patients for the development of medicine worldwide
You cannot copy content of this page