Most people who get COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms like coughing, a fever, and shortness of breath. But some who catch the new coronavirus get severe pneumonia in both lungs.Jan 25, 2022
The pneumonia that COVID-19 causes tends to take hold in both lungs. Air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid, limiting their ability to take in oxygen and causing shortness of breath, cough and other symptoms.Feb 28, 2022
Lung damage in the course of this disease often leads to acute hypoxic respiratory failure and may eventually lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Respiratory failure as a result of COVID-19 can develop very quickly and a small percent of those infected will die because of it.
Breathlessness is caused by an infection in the lungs known as pneumonia. Not everyone with COVID-19 gets pneumonia, though. If you don’t have pneumonia, you probably won’t feel short of breath.Sep 24, 2021
COVID-19 Pneumonia Symptoms A fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath are common early signs of COVID-19. You may also have: Fatigue. Chills.Jan 25, 2022
About 15% of COVID-19 cases are severe. That means they may need to be treated with oxygen in a hospital. About 5% of people have critical infections and need a ventilator..Jan 25, 2022
Most people who survive ARDS go on to recover their normal or close to normal lung function within six months to a year. Others may not do as well, particularly if their illness was caused by severe lung damage or their treatment entailed long-term use of a ventilator.
“Acute” respiratory illness is an infection of the upper or lower respiratory tract that may interfere with normal breathing, such as COVID-19. “Acute” means of recent onset (for example, for a few days), and is used to distinguish from chronic respiratory illnesses like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Those suffering from post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 frequently have difficulty concentrating and memory problems, sometimes called “brain fog.” This impairment is a common symptom in those with severe fatigue of any cause.Feb 25, 2022
• Trouble breathing• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest• New confusion• Inability to wake or stay awake• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:Trouble breathingPersistent pain or pressure in the chestNew confusionInability to wake or stay awakeBluish lips or face
If you have a fever, a dry cough, and tiredness (with or without shortness of breath), you are likely to have COVID-19 until proven otherwise, and you should self-isolateSep 24, 2021