List of symptoms
COVID-19 and its variants can affect people in different ways.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 (starting with most frequent to least frequent) are:
- a blocked or runny nose or sneezing
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a sore throat
- a headache or dizziness
- a new, continuous cough
- a high temperature or shivering (chills)
- shortness of breath
- an aching body
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
If you have any of these symptoms, and they can't be explained by another reason, you may have COVID-19 and you should stay at home and book a PCR test.
Book a PCR test if you have symptoms
Ongoing symptoms or long COVID
Most people infected with COVID-19 will experience a mild to moderate viral illness with respiratory symptoms and recover without requiring special treatment. However for some people, COVID-19 can cause symptoms that last more than 4 weeks or months after the infection has gone. This is sometimes called post-COVID-19 syndrome or long COVID.
Supporting your recovery after COVID-19 on NHS website
If you are experiencing ongoing troubling symptoms you should contact your GP.
Treatment for Long COVID is available in the Outpatients department of the General Hospital. You will need to be referred by your GP so please speak to your GP in the first instance.