A guide to Covid, Symptoms and Long Covid

What is Covid?

You can be infected with Covid and never develop Covid symptoms or you may only get mild symptoms which you can recover from quickly. However, you may not recover quickly and may get long Covid. For some people, Covid can be fatal.

On 31 December 2019, World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The new coronavirus was identified and named SARS-CoV-2. 

Covid-19 is caused by a virus called coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less severe disease, such as the common cold, and others causing more severe disease.

How is Covid transmitted?

Covid-19 can enter your body when you breathe it in, after someone coughs nearby or you touch a contaminated surface.

Can you recover from Covid? 

You can be infected with Covid and never develop symptoms or have only mild symptoms.

The time between infection and having symptoms is on average five days. 

It first infects the cells lining your throat, airways and lungs. The immune system kicks in to fight the virus, which can result in the body feeling body aches, pain and fever. 

This as well as a cough, can be treated by drinking fluids, taking paracetamol and having bed rest.

After seven days, if you have not recovered, your body may be struggling to cope with Covid.

Dr Nathalie MacDermott from King’s College London has said if the disease progresses, it is because the immune system is overreacting to the virus, creating too much inflammation.

You can get inflammation of the lungs, which is known as pneumonia. Pneumonia causes the small air sacs in the lungs to start to fill with water. This can cause shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Some people will need a ventilator to help them breathe.

Inflammation can damage the body and lead to septic shock when the blood pressure falls to extremely low levels and organs stop working. Inflammation of the the lungs can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can stop the body getting sufficient oxygen it needs to survive.

What are the common Covid symptoms?

If you become infected with Covid, your symptoms could be mild and last around two weeks after which time you recover.

The most common Covid symptoms are:

• a high temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius or above.
• a new, continuous dry cough
• Anosmia is another key symptom of Covid, alongside a fever and a continuous cough. Anosmia occurs when a person’s sense of smell or taste changes or disappears altogether.

If you are not able to measure your temperature, check to see if you feel hot to touch on your chest or your back.

What should I do if I have Covid symptoms and I am visiting a care home?

When visitors have any symptoms that suggest other transmissible viruses and infections, such as a cough, high temperature, diarrhoea or vomiting, they should avoid the care home until at least 5 days after they feel better

If you plan to visit a care home, please read the latest government guidance related to Covid and care home visits for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in this advice article.

What is Long Covid?

While most people who get Covid recover quickly, you may experience long-term health problems months after initial infection. 

Studies reveal that around 10–20 per cent of people infected by Covid may go on to develop symptoms that can be diagnosed as Long Covid.

Long Covid has been defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the continuation or development of new symptoms three months after the initial Covid infection.

These symptoms last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. 

What are the symptoms of Long Covid? 

Long Covid has been linked to over 200 symptoms and conditions. If you have Long Covid, your symptoms can change over time. 

Covid can attack the body many ways, causing damage to the lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, liver and other organs. 

How do you treat Long Covid?

There is no single treatment or medication that can be used to treat long Covid. However, there are treatments that could relieve some of its symptoms. 

Long Covid treatments may include: 

•    Physiotherapy for improved lung function and increased strength. 
•    Medication to relieve symptoms such as pain, headaches or coughs. 
•    Treatment for diabetes, heart disease and other serious conditions that can be affected by long Covid.
•    Olfactory training to help regain sense of smell.
•    Speech and language therapy to boost communication. 
•    Counselling for mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. 
•    Relaxation methods to tackle sleep problems.   

Can vaccines prevent infection with Covid?

To avoid getting Covid, it is better to prevent infection.

Getting vaccinated for Covid lowers the risks of Covid infection.

Getting fully vaccinated and boosted is effective in reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalization or death from Covid. 

Make sure you are vaccinated to reduce your risk of developing long Covid.