People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Some people do not have any symptoms.
Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. People with the following symptoms may have COVID-19:
This list does not include all possible symptoms.
Most people with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms and recover on their own. Less commonly, COVID-19 may lead to pneumonia, other severe complications, hospitalization or death.
If you have mild to moderate symptoms, stay home. Do not leave home except to get essential medical care (including testing for COVID-19) or to get basic needs such as groceries, if someone can not get them for you.
When to Call 911
You should go to an emergency room or call 911 immediately if you have:
This is not a complete list. If you are concerned you may be experiencing a medical emergency, contact your provider immediately or call 911.
When to Contact a Health Care Provider
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms, especially if you are an older adult, pregnant or have health conditions that put you at increased risk for severe illness.
Call, text, use telemedicine or use your patient portal to contact your health care provider. If you need help getting medical care, call 311. You can get care in NYC regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.
When to Get Tested
All New Yorkers should get a COVID-19 diagnostic test, whether or not they have symptoms or are at increased risk. Tests are free. You should look for a testing site near your home.
You will not be asked about immigration status. COVID-19 testing and care services are not a public benefit under the public charge rule (PDF).
You should schedule a test as soon as possible if you:
If the test result is negative, talk with your health care provider about whether you should get tested again the following week.
Health care workers, other essential workers and workers who have in-person contact with people as part of their jobs should get tested once a month.
People who are not essential workers do not need to be tested as often. If you work outside the home, or if you live or work in a congregate setting, you should get tested regularly.
You should get tested before visiting someone who may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19. If you test positive, are showing symptoms or recently were in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, cancel your visit
You should not get retested for COVID-19 during the 90 days after your symptoms began or, if you did not have symptoms, from the date you were tested. A person who has recovered from COVID-19 may have a positive test result even though they are no longer contagious.
If you have recovered from COVID-19 and have new symptoms of COVID-19, consult with a health care provider, especially if you had close contact with someone who currently has COVID-19.
When You Are Sick and Staying Home
If you are sick, stay home as much as possible. Do not go to school or to work, even if you are an essential worker. Only leave home to get essential medical care or to get basic needs such as groceries, if you have no other way to get them.
To protect others in your household from getting sick:
When taking medicine, remember that many products to treat fever, cough and other symptoms contain the same active ingredient, and you could be taking too much if you take more than one medicine. Follow the recommended dosage on the medicine label.
To check if you are managing medicines safely, contact the Poison Control Center to speak with a registered pharmacist or nurse.
When You Are Sick and Need to Leave Home
If you need to leave your home to see a health care provider or to get medicine or groceries:
When You Need a Hotel for Isolation
If you tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19, you may qualify to isolate in a hotel for free. These hotel rooms are intended for people who do not have a safe place to isolate at home. Rooms are also available for people without COVID-19 who live with someone who has the virus or may have been in close contact with someone who has it.
For more information:
When You Are Feeling Better
There are still many unanswered questions about COVID-19, including whether it is possible to get sick again. For this reason, it is important to continue physical distancing, wearing a face covering and taking other precautions even after you are better.