
COVID-19 symptoms can differ from person to person, but commonly include fever, tiredness, cough, and trouble breathing. Loss of smell or taste is also frequently reported. Symptoms usually appear between 1 and 14 days after being exposed to the virus. Many people – at least one in three – don’t experience any noticeable symptoms at all. Of those who do get sick, most have mild to moderate symptoms, like a mild cough or pneumonia. However, about 14% become severely ill with breathing problems or significant lung issues, and 5% develop critical conditions such as respiratory failure. Older adults are at higher risk of severe illness, and some complications can be fatal. Many people also experience lingering effects – known as long COVID – for months or even years after the initial infection, and organ damage has been observed. Research on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 is still ongoing.