Most people who get COVID-19, the disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, will have only mild illness. But what exactly does that mean?
Mild COVID-19 cases still can make you feel lousy. But you should be able to rest at home and recover fully without a trip to the hospital. Here's what to expect and how to take care of yourself.
How Long Does COVID Last?
COVID-19 lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Once symptoms (if you have them) clear up, it usually means that COVID-19 isn't in your body anymore. Some people may develop long COVID — a wide range of symptoms that last weeks, months, or years after COVID-19 illness.
How long does COVID last if vaccinated?
COVID-19 vaccines protect against infection. But you can still get COVID-19 even if you're vaccinated. This is called a breakthrough case.
If you have a breakthrough case of COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated, you may have mild symptoms or none at all.
There's no major difference in how long COVID-19 lasts whether you're vaccinated or not. But you may have a quicker recovery and less severe symptoms if you're vaccinated.
How long does COVID last in your body?
It's hard to say for sure how long COVID lasts in your body, but it might stick around longer than influenza or the common cold, which leave your body about two weeks after infection.
An average person may continue to shed the COVID-19 virus for about a month after infection. Some may test positive for at least three months, even after symptoms are gone.
New studies suggest that COVID-19 may linger in your system from 14 months to two years after infection, even after symptoms go away.
COVID Recovery Rates
Scientists and researchers are constantly tracking infections and recoveries. But they have data only on confirmed cases, so they can't count people who don't get COVID-19 tests. Experts also don't have information about the outcome of every infection.
On average, about 98.2% of known COVID-19 patients in the U.S. survive, but each individual's risk of dying from the virus will vary depending on their age, whether they have an underlying health condition and whether they are vaccinated. While people who are vaccinated can still get infected, these "breakthrough" cases are rare, and vaccines dramatically reduce severe illness and death.
How Long Do COVID Symptoms Last?
Not everyone who catches COVID will notice symptoms. If you do get them, they may show up 2-14 days after your infection. And those symptoms can vary from one person to the next.
Symptoms may include:
- Fever (100.4 F or higher for adults) or chills
- A dry cough (the kind that doesn't bring up any mucus or phlegm ) or a cough with mucus
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Muscle and joint pain
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Chest tightness
- Labored breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of taste and/or sense of smell
Stay home and keep your distance from others if you have symptoms to help stop the spread of COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses. Once your symptoms improve and you've been fever free for 24 hours, you can resume your normal activities.
COVID Recovery Time
Early research suggested that it could take two weeks for your body to get over a mild illness or up to six weeks for severe or critical cases. Recovery varies for different people, depending on things like your age and overall health. Fatigue, headache, and troubled breathing are the symptoms most likely to linger.
CDC guidelines say that if you've been sick, you should isolate yourself at home until all of these things are true:
- You haven't had a fever for 24 hours without using a fever-reducing medicine.
- Your symptoms are better, though they might not be totally gone.
- It's been at least five days since your symptoms started.
Regardless of when you end isolation, until at least day 11:
- Avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19.
- Remember to wear a high-quality mask when indoors around others at home and in public.
- Don't go places where you are unable to wear a mask until you're able to discontinue masking.
Signs COVID Is Getting Better
You'll know you're getting better once your symptoms lessen or disappear altogether.
Signs that COVID is getting better vary from person to person and depend on your symptoms. For example, if you had a fever for several days but are now fever free without taking a fever-reducing medicine, that's a sign of recovery. Similarly, if you no longer have body aches, a sore throat, or a headache, you'll know that your COVID-19 infection is on its way out. You'll start to get your energy back, too.
Recovery After Severe Illness With COVID
A small percentage of people who have COVID need to stay in the hospital to get help breathing. It may depend on things like your age and your overall health. You may be in the hospital for two weeks or more.
Some people who have severe COVID-19 get a complication called acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can damage your lungs and make it very hard to breathe.
If you're severely ill, you might need treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU). Many patients who spend time in the ICU lose weight and strength.
Your medical team will work with you to treat or manage these symptoms, including exercises to boost your strength.
Long COVID
Long COVID happens when a range of symptoms linger after recovery and affect your quality of life. Experts estimate that 17.6 million Americans have long COVID. You may notice symptoms like:
- Mild headaches
- Overall feeling of being unwell
- Fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Shortness of breath
If you've noticed symptoms of long COVID or you begin to feel worse and develop new symptoms, call your doctor.
Recovery Outlook
After you recover from COVID-19, it's likely that you'll have some protection from reinfection. But reinfection does happen. The CDC continues to learn more about:
- Who could be at a higher risk of reinfection
- How common reinfections are
- How severe a reinfection is compared to your first case
- How quickly a reinfection can happen after you recover
- Transmission risks to others after reinfection
How to Get Over COVID Faster
There's no cure for COVID-19, although if you have to stay in the hospital, some medicines may shorten your recovery.
Some of the things you can do to speed up your healing are similar to how you might take care of yourself when you have the flu or a bad cold.
Eat healthy foods. If you feel like eating, fuel your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to get better. Limit sugary or highly processed foods like cookies and sodas. If you don't have an appetite, you don't need to try to force food down.
Drinks lots of fluids. Do this even if you don't feel like eating. Water is always a good pick.
Lower your fever. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen if you have a temperature or body aches. Be careful not to take more than a total of 3,000 milligrams every 24 hours, except in the case of pediatric patients. That includes acetaminophen alone as well as in medications like cold and flu pills and syrups.
Rest. Know that you'll probably feel better eventually. If your symptoms do get worse, call your doctor.
How to get rid of a COVID cough
Cough, especially one that sticks around, is a common COVID-19 symptom. Like coughs caused by other viral illnesses, there's no way to cure a COVID-19 cough. But you can ease symptoms with these suggestions:
- Stay hydrated and take small sips of liquid if you feel a coughing spell coming on
- Drink warm, soothing liquids
- Avoid smoking and exposure to strong smells
- Breathe through your nose
Takeaways
COVID-19 symptoms (if you have them) typically start 2-14 days after infection and clear up within a few days or weeks. The severity and length of illness varies from person to person, and there's no certainty about how long COVID-19 stays in your body. Staying hydrated, eating healthy, and resting will help you recover faster. Contact your doctor if your symptoms are severe or last longer than a few weeks.
FAQs About How Long COVID Lasts
How long does it take to recover from COVID?
Recovery from COVID-19 depends on many things, like how severe your symptoms are and how long you're sick. In most cases, it takes a few days to a couple of weeks to recover.
What helps COVID symptoms go away faster?
There's no cure for COVID-19, but rest, fluids, and fever reducers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can improve your symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication if you're at a risk of complications from COVID.
How can you help your body heal from COVID?
Healthy habits like eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and getting lots of rest help your body heal from COVID-19.
How can you get rid of COVID quickly?
If you get COVID-19, your body's immune system works to get rid of the virus. Your immune response — and how quickly your body clears out the virus — depends on factors like age, pregnancy status, sex and gender, whether you have cancer, and your vaccination and booster status.
