Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause many illnesses, ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. The most well-known of these is COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Here's what to know about COVID-19, including the disease's symptoms, transmission, severity, and treatments.

Everything You Need to Know About COVID

Little girl gets PCR COVID test through her nose.
How Long Will You Test Positive for COVID-19 After Recovery?

Understanding Long COVID

Illustration of a woman with long COVID
Why Is It So Difficult for Long COVID Patients to Get Diagnosed and Treated?

Explore Coronavirus

Older adult getting COVID vaccine
COVID Vaccine Update: CDC Now Recommends Second Dose For Older Adults, Immunocompromised
Woman inserting a swab into nostil.
COVID Tests Might Not Be Your Best Option This Winter—Here's What You Could Use Instead
Sick woman coughing
COVID Rules Have Changed Drastically. Here's What to Do If You Test Positive Now
free covid tests from u.s. government
Free COVID Tests Are Back for Fall 2024—Here’s How to Get Yours
A pair of gloved hands holds a swab and test tube.
New XEC COVID Variant Identified in Some States—What to Know About Symptoms, Transmission
Woman putting her hand to her ear.
Can COVID Cause Hearing Loss? Study Finds Link Among Young Adults
A woman takes a COVID test.
Should You Still Be Testing for COVID?
Vaccine
The FDA Approved New COVID Vaccines. Who Can Get One—And When?
Sick woman lying on couch
CDC Official Says That COVID Is Endemic. What Does That Mean?
people traveling wearing masks
The Science Behind Why COVID-19 Tends to Spike During Summer Months
Man rolling a marijuana joint.
Study Finds Cannabis Use Linked to More Severe COVID Infections—Here’s Why
Sick woman sitting on a couch
COVID Cases May Be on the Rise—Here's How to Navigate the Virus This Summer
Doctor putting band-aid on patient after giving a vaccine
CDC Recommends Americans Get New COVID Shots—Here’s What to Know
Woman at desk with headache
What Is Long COVID, Exactly? A New Universal Definition May Help More People Access Care
Young adult black man lying down at home with a flu and runny nose
COVID Variant KP.3 Surges to Dominance—Here's What You Need to Know
woman taking temperature
New COVID-19 ‘FLiRT’ Variants Identified—What You Need to Know
Young women taking a covid test
What Is JN.1? New COVID Variant May Become Dominant For Holiday Season in the US
Doctor giving flu shot to senior female patient
Getting COVID and Flu Shots Together May Slightly Increase Risk of Stroke in Older Adults
Woman sitting in bed coughing
A Guide to COVID-19 Pneumonia
Person taking an at-home COVID test
What to Know About the New HV.1 Variant
Doctor preparing a COVID-19 vaccine
CDC Says Some People Might Need a Longer Needle For Their Next Vaccine
Man using a COVID-19 home test kit
When Should You Test for COVID After Symptoms Appear? New Research Has the Answer
Woman holding a COVID rapid test
How Often You Should Test for COVID-19 in 2023, According to Experts
Woman buying groceries with a mask on
Are Face Masks Coming Back? What Experts Want You to Know
Close-up of man placing the sample into a buffer dropper for seft detection of coronavirus at home. PCR test after come back from crowd and meeting people. Quarantine pandemic.
Do COVID Tests Still Work for New Variants Like EG.5 and BA.2.86?
Head shot of young woman having allergy symptoms, covering her nose with tissue while sneezing.
What Are the Symptoms of the New COVID EG.5 'Eris' Variant?
Woman waiting for results of a COVID test
CDC Says New COVID Variant BA.2.86 May Be Better At Causing Breakthrough Infections
nurse hands preparing covid vaccine injections
FDA Panel Recommends New Monovalent COVID Booster Targeting XBB Variant
Young woman taking a COVID test
How Many Americans Have COVID-19 Immunity? New CDC Report Shares Promising Data
middle aged woman sleeping with cpap machine for sleep apnea
Having Sleep Apnea Also Boosts Your Risk of Developing Long COVID, Study Shows
older woman receives covid vaccine
Who Is Eligible for a Second Bivalent Booster? New CDC Recommendations, Explained
senior woman receiving bandage after covid vaccine booster
CDC, FDA Investigating Potential—But 'Unlikely'—Link Between Pfizer Booster and Stroke Risk
woman receiving covid test in pharmacy
XBB.1.5: What to Know About the 'Most Transmissible' COVID Subvariant Yet
Female wearing mask at grocery store
COVID Is 'Still Here': Experts Say Masking This Fall and Winter Is a Good Idea
Young Asian woman taking off protective face mask, setting herself free and feeling relieved. Head up with her eyes closed. Taking a break from busy and stressful work life in downtown district in the city
WHO Says 'End Is in Sight' for COVID Pandemic—Here's What Still Needs to Be Done
Woman sitting at home looking out the window
Stress, Depression, and Anxiety Linked to Higher Risk of Developing Long Covid, Study Shows
Nurse preparing for a COVID vaccination at a hospital
New COVID Booster Labels Look Similar to Old Ones—Here's How To Make Sure You're Getting the Right Shot
Doctor putting a bandaid on a woman's arm after a shot.
New Covid Boosters Were Released Before Human Testing—But Experts Say They're Still Safe
Person putting on face mask outside.
You May Have Lower Risk of COVID-19 Infection if You Have Food Allergies
Close-up of female pharmacist arranging drugs on rack
How To Get Paxlovid—and Tips for Taking It
Woman With Mask On The Cabin Of A Plane.
Does 'One-Way Masking' Work Against COVID-19?
Potential Symptoms of Long covid
Signs and Symptoms of Long COVID
person with a covid variant feeling sick on the couch
Signs and Symptoms of COVID Variants
person holding positive covid rapid test
CDC May Change COVID Isolation Guidelines in the Coming Months—Here’s What to Know
hand wearing gloves collecting covid sample
Swabbing Your Stool for COVID Probably Won't Give You an Accurate Result, Experts Say
Person wearing gloves holding Paxlovid medication
What Is 'Paxlovid Mouth'?
person receives covid-19 vaccine
How Long Should You Wait to Get Vaccinated After Being Exposed to COVID?
person checking covid test
What to Know About BA.2.86, the COVID Variant Spreading in the US
Man with lingering cough from COVID covering mouth with inside of elbow
How To Get Rid of a Lingering Cough After COVID
Woman Holding a Covid-19 Rapid Test At Home
Why Even a Faint Line on Your COVID Test Still Means You're Positive
Doctor taking a coronavirus test on a patient
When Should You Test (and Possibly Retest) After Being Exposed to COVID?
female hands holding covid vaccination card
CDC Has Stopped Printing COVID Vaccination Cards—Do You Need to Keep Yours?
photo off free covid tests from us government
Free COVID Tests From the Government Are Back—Here's How to Get Yours
healthcare provider measuring blood pressure of older woman
COVID Might Help Trigger New-Onset High Blood Pressure, New Research Shows
person taking at home covid test
Can You Still Use an Expired COVID Test?
Man and women walk together in a mall with face masks on.
What Is a 'Tripledemic'? Experts Warn COVID, Flu, and RSV May Converge This Winter
Runners out of breath and taking a break
How Long COVID May Be Affecting Your Workouts—And What to Do About It
man taking home covid test
Should You Test for COVID Before Your Omicron Booster?
Man and woman sit at an office desk looking at each other with masks on.
New COVID Variants May Fuel a Winter Surge—What to Know About BQ.1, XBB, and Others
close-up of person getting vaccine in arm
Omicron Boosters Could Save 90,000 Lives This Winter—But Only if People Get Them
paxlovid box with pills
Paxlovid Was Most Effective in Older Adults During Omicron Surge, Study Shows
woman doing yoga in living room
Even a Quick Daily Workout Can Help Protect You From Getting COVID
CASTRO VALLEY, CA - DECEMBER 31: The hand of Alameda County Superintendent of Schools, L. K. Monroe, grabs boxes of COVID-19 at-home testing kits while passing them to families before school starts next week at Canyon Middle School in Castro Valley, Calif. on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
FDA Now Recommends Taking Up to 3 At-Home COVID Tests to Confirm Negative Result