Symptoms of coronavirus

Symptoms can include:

• a high temperature or shivering (chills) - a high temp means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

• a new continuous cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours

• loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste (anosmia)

• shortness of breath

• feeling tired or exhausted

• an aching body

• a headache

• a sore throat

• a blocked or runny nose

• loss of appetite

• diarrhoea

• feeling sick or being sick

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/

To find out more about your symptoms, when you can use self-care, what to do if your condition worsens and if you need medical help CLICK HERE.

If you have coronavirus symptoms

If you’ve developed symptoms (however mild) stay at home and avoid contact with other people. Do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital. 

Read the NHS stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.

Self-help guide:

To find out more about your symptoms, when you can use self-care, what to do if your condition worsens and you need medical help click here.

NHS 24 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advice.

High Risk (Clinically Extremely Vulnerable)

You may be at high risk from coronavirus if you:

• have had an organ transplant

• are having chemotherapy or antibody treatment for cancer, including immunotherapy

• are having an intense course of radiotherapy (radical radiotherapy) for lung cancer

• are having targeted cancer treatments that can affect the immune system (such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors)

• have blood or bone marrow cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)

• have had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the past 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppressant medicine

• have been told by a doctor you have a severe lung condition (such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD)

• have a condition that means you have a very high risk of getting infections (such as SCID or sickle cell)

• are taking medicine that makes you much more likely to get infections (such as high doses of steroids or immunosuppressant medicine)

• have a serious heart condition and are pregnant

• have a problem with your spleen or your spleen has been removed (splenectomy)

• are an adult with Down's syndrome

• are an adult who is having dialysis or has severe (stage 5) long-term kidney disease have been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of your needs

If you're at high risk from coronavirus, you should have received a letter from the NHS.

Speak to your GP or hospital care team if you have not been contacted and think you should have been.

What to do if you're at high risk

If you're at high risk from coronavirus, there are things you can do to help keep yourself safe.

See what to do if you're at high risk from coronavirus.

People at High Risk https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/

Moderate Risk (Clinically Vulnerable)

People at moderate risk from coronavirus include people who:

• are 70 or older

• have a lung condition that's not severe (such as asthma, COPD, emphysema or bronchitis)

• have heart disease (such as heart failure)

• have diabetes

• have chronic kidney disease

• have liver disease (such as hepatitis)

• have a condition affecting the brain or nerves (such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy)

• have a condition that means they have a high risk of getting infections

• are taking medicine that can affect the immune system (such as low doses of steroids)

• are very obese (a BMI of 40 or above)

• are pregnant – see advice about pregnancy and coronavirus

Unlike people at high risk, you will not get a letter from the NHS.

What to do if you're at moderate risk

If you're at moderate risk from coronavirus, it's very important to follow social distancing advice to reduce your chances of catching or spreading the virus.

Find out more about social distancing.

Get help and support

If you're at a higher risk from coronavirus, you can get help from an NHS volunteer with things like getting food, medicines and other things you need.

Call 0808 196 3646 (open 8am to 8pm) to get help from NHS Volunteer Responders.

For more information please visit the NHS website.