COVID-19 is the disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. WHO first learned of this new virus on 31 December 2019, following a report of a cluster of cases of ‘viral pneumonia’ in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are

• Fever

• Dry cough

• Fatigue

Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include:

• Loss of taste or smell,

• Nasal congestion,

• Conjunctivitis (also known as red eyes)

• Sore throat,

• Headache,

• Muscle or joint pain,

• Different types of skin rash,

• Nausea or vomiting,

• Diarrhea,

• Chills or dizziness.

Symptoms of severe COVID‐19 disease include:

• Shortness of breath,

• Loss of appetite,

• Confusion,

• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest,

• High temperature (above 38 °C).

Other less common symptoms are:

• Irritability,

• Confusion,

• Reduced consciousness (sometimes associated with seizures),

• Anxiety,

• Depression,

• Sleep disorders,

• More severe and rare neurological complications such as strokes, brain inflammation, delirium and nerve damage.

People of all ages who experience fever and/or cough associated with difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or loss of speech or movement should seek medical care immediately. If possible, call your health care provider, hotline or health facility first, so you can be directed to the right clinic.

Among those who develop symptoms, most (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing hospital treatment. About 15% become seriously ill and require oxygen and 5% become critically ill and need intensive care.

Complications leading to death may include respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, thromboembolism, and/or multiorgan failure, including injury of the heart, liver or kidneys.

In rare situations, children can develop a severe inflammatory syndrome a few weeks after infection.

Some people who have had COVID-19, whether they have needed hospitalization or not, continue to experience symptoms, including fatigue, respiratory and neurological symptoms.

WHO is working with our Global Technical Network for Clinical Management of COVID-19, researchers and patient groups around the world to design and carry out studies of patients beyond the initial acute course of illness to understand the proportion of patients who have long term effects, how long they persist, and why they occur. These studies will be used to develop further guidance for patient care.

Anyone with symptoms should be tested, wherever possible. People who do not have symptoms but have had close contact with someone who is, or may be, infected may also consider testing – contact your local health guidelines and follow their guidance.

While a person is waiting for test results, they should remain isolated from others. Where testing capacity is limited, tests should first be done for those at higher risk of infection, such as health workers, and those at higher risk of severe illness such as older people, especially those living in seniors’ residences or long-term care facilities.

If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you may become infected, even if you feel well.

After exposure to someone who has COVID-19, do the following:

• Call your health care provider or COVID-19 hotline to find out where and when to get a test.

• Cooperate with contact-tracing procedures to stop the spread of the virus.

• If testing is not available, stay home and away from others for 14 days.

• While you are in quarantine, do not go to work, to school or to public places. Ask someone to bring you supplies.

• Keep at least a 1-metre distance from others, even from your family members.

• Wear a medical mask to protect others, including if/when you need to seek medical care.

• Clean your hands frequently.

• Stay in a separate room from other family members, and if not possible, wear a medical mask.

• Keep the room well-ventilated.

• If you share a room, place beds at least 1 metre apart.

• Monitor yourself for any symptoms for 14 days.

• Stay positive by keeping in touch with loved ones by phone or online, and by exercising at home.

If you live in an area with malaria or dengue fever, seek medical help if you have a fever. While travelling to and from the health facility and during medical care, wear a mask, keep at least a 1-metre distance from other people and avoid touching surfaces with your hands. This applies to adults and children. Read our malaria and COVID-19 Q&A for more information.

Yes. The first mass vaccination programme started in early December 2020 and the number of vaccination doses administered is updated on a daily basis here. At least 13 different vaccines (across 4 platforms) have been administered. Campaigns have started in 206 economies.

The Pfizer/BioNtech Comirnaty vaccine was listed for WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) on 31 December 2020. The SII/Covishield and AstraZeneca/AZD1222 vaccines (developed by AstraZeneca/Oxford and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and SK Bio respectively) were given EUL on 16 February. The Janssen/Ad26.COV 2.S developed by Johnson & Johnson, was listed for EUL on 12 March 2021. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA 1273) was listed for EUL on 30 April 2021 and the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine was listed for EUL on 7 May 2021. The Sinopharm vaccine is produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd, subsidiary of China National Biotec Group (CNBG).

For further information, see here.

Once vaccines are demonstrated to be safe and efficacious, they must be approved by national regulators, manufactured to exacting standards, and distributed. WHO is working with partners around the world to help coordinate key steps in this process, including to facilitate equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the billions of people who will need them. More information about COVID-19 vaccine development is available here.

Scientists around the world are working to find and develop treatments for COVID-19.

Optimal supportive care includes oxygen for severely ill patients and those who are at risk for severe disease and more advanced respiratory support such as ventilation for patients who are critically ill.

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that can help reduce the length of time on a ventilator and save lives of patients with severe and critical illness. Read our dexamethasone Q&A for more information.

Results from the WHO’s Solidarity Trial indicated that remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon regimens appear to have little or no effect on 28-day mortality or the in-hospital course of COVID-19 among hospitalized patients.

Hydroxychloroquine has not been shown to offer any benefit for treatment of COVID-19. Read our hydroxychloroquine Q&A for more information.

WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19. WHO is coordinating efforts to develop treatments for COVID-19 and will continue to provide new information as it becomes available.