Could you have COVID? Symptoms to watch for in 2025 include sore throat and fatigue
New year, new COVID symptoms? Not quite. While new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have come and gone in the five years the illness has circulated the globe, its array of symptoms hasn’t evolved as swiftly.
Though symptoms may vary by variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), epidemiologists haven’t linked select symptoms to specific variants. If you have COVID more than once, even your individual symptoms may differ from infection to infection.
That said, with the “quad-demic” of COVID, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus making the rounds this winter, how do you know which illness your symptoms reflect? Testing, a process with which you’ve likely become intimately familiar these last few years, is the only way to know for sure.
Free, rapid COVID tests—four per household—are still available at COVIDtests.gov. They’re also sold at countless stores and online retailers. Some over-the-counter and laboratory tests can use a single sample to determine whether you have COVID, influenza A, influenza B, and/or RSV. A norovirus test must be completed by a health care professional, and there’s no test for the common cold.
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How do I treat my COVID symptoms?
While over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can provide relief for most people with mild symptoms, the CDC says, it’s a good idea to discuss treatment options with your doctor as soon as you test positive for COVID.
People with certain medical conditions ranging from asthma to cancer to obesity are at high risk of severe COVID infection. People who have never gotten a COVID vaccine or aren’t up to date on their vaccinations are also at increased risk. Your health care provider will determine whether prescription antiviral medication such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir) or Lagevrio (molnupiravir) is right for you. To be effective, these treatments must be started within five to seven days of symptom onset.
For more on COVID-19:
The COVID winter wave has arrived. Here’s where it’s spreading during the 2024–25 holiday season
Public health experts are warning of a ‘quad-demic’ this winter. Here’s where flu, COVID, RSV, and norovirus are spreading
New COVID vaccines are here. What to know about latest shots in wake of nation’s biggest summer surge
Yes, you can get the COVID, flu, and RSV vaccines at once. Here are the pros and cons
Free, at-home COVID tests are back. Here’s how to order yours
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
