What Are Mild COVID-19 Symptoms?

Mild COVID-19 symptoms mean you have symptoms, but they aren't severe enough to send you to the hospital. These symptoms typically include a cough, fever, headache, and sore throat. The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) caused symptoms like a new loss of taste and smell early on in the pandemic. The Omicron variant emerged in November 2021 and causes symptoms like a runny nose, fatigue, and sneezing.

How likely you are to develop mild symptoms can develop on several factors, such as vaccination status and immune health. Read on to learn what a mild case of COVID feels like and how to treat it.

What Is Mild COVID-19?

There's no clinical definition of mild COVID, so much of this is subjective and left up to interpretation. Experts seem to agree that a mild case of COVID causes symptoms not severe enough to put you in the hospital. It varies from having almost no symptoms to having to go to bed for a few days.

There's a pretty wide range with mild COVID, spanning from asymptomatic to more intense symptoms. Mild illness can occur in vaccinated or unvaccinated people. It's the prominent form of illness in the vaccinated population, who rarely go on to develop moderate or severe illness.

You can have any of the typical COVID symptoms with mild illness, such as:

• A new loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fever or chills
• Headache or muscle and body aches
• Nausea or vomiting
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
  

How Long Do Symptoms Last?

How long symptoms last can vary. Some people with mild COVID may be asymptomatic, or they develop a few symptoms that clear up quickly. Others can be uncomfortable for days. Mild illness typically lasts 10 to 14 days.

How To Treat Mild COVID-19 

It's important to stay home and away from others if you have mild COVID symptoms. There are several ways you can feel better in the meantime, such as:

• Breathe in steam from a hot shower or use a vaporizer
• Don't smoke, and stay away from secondhand smoke if possible
• Get plenty of rest
• Stay hydrated
• Suck on hard candy or cough drops
• Take a lukewarm bath
• Use over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen)

Can a Mild Infection Become Severe?

It's possible that a mild case of COVID can become severe. You'll want to keep track of your symptoms and call a healthcare provider if they get worse.

Certain health conditions can increase the risk of severe illness. You'll also want to check in with a healthcare provider if you have:

• Cancer
• Certain mental health disorders
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic lung disease
• Diabetes
• Heart conditions
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• Substance use disorders (SUDs)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stresses the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID. Vaccination prevents most people who develop COVID from progressing beyond the mild stages and reduces hospitalization and death. Some vaccinated people still develop COVID, but the risk of doing so is significantly lower, as is the complication rate.

What Is Long COVID-19?

Some people develop long COVID, or symptoms that linger for weeks or months after the infection has gone away. Symptoms can include:

• Brain fog
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Joint or muscle pain
• Shortness of breath
• Trouble concentrating

It's not exactly clear what causes long COVID, but those with severe symptoms are more likely to have it. Anyone who's had COVID can still develop long COVID, even those with mild symptoms.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

Seek medical attention right away if you develop any of these symptoms:

• An inability to wake up or stay awake
• Chest pain or pressure
  
• Confusion
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds
• Trouble breathing

It's still a good idea to check in with a healthcare provider, even if your symptoms are mild. They can give you personalized advice on what to do during your illness.

Some of this personalized advice may include a prescription for monoclonal antibodies or antiviral medication. Both have been shown to reduce the chances of being hospitalized or dying from COVID.

A Quick Review

Mild COVID symptoms are ones that aren't severe enough to require hospitalization. These symptoms generally include a cough, fever, headache, and sore throat. People with mild symptoms typically feel better within two weeks with plenty of rest and fluids.

See a healthcare provider right away if your symptoms worsen or don't go away. People who are more likely to develop severe symptoms include those with conditions like chronic lung disease, heart disease, and obesity.

The information in this story is accurate as of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.