Symptoms, About, Spread, Risks

COVID-19

Symptoms for COVID-19 are similar to those for influenza or other respiratory illnesses. See below for symptoms for adults, children and everyone.

Adults

Anyone over the age of 18 who has the following symptoms are legally required to isolate and should be tested for COVID-19.

• fever
• new onset of cough or worsening chronic cough
• new or worsening shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• sore throat
• runny nose

If you are not tested for COVID-19, you MUST isolate for 10 days following the start of these symptoms and until you are feeling better (whichever is longer). If you are tested, further instructions are available at ahs.ca/results based on your test results.

People with other symptoms are also recommended to be tested. These include:

• chills
• painful swallowing
• stuffy nose
• headache
• muscle or joint ache
• feeling unwell, fatigue or severe exhaustion
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained loss of appetite
• loss of sense of smell or taste
• conjunctivitis (pink eye)

If you have these symptoms, it is strongly advised that you stay home and minimize contact with others until you are feeling better. Complete the COVID-19 Self-Assessment choosing the COVID-19 Testing / Online Booking button for more information.

Children

Symptoms of runny nose and sore throat have been removed from the mandatory isolation checklist for Albertans under 18, as well as individuals 18 years and over attending high school, whether they are attending classes, day care or recreational activities.

For a child with no known exposures to COVID-19 or international travel in the past 14 days:

• If the child has any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath or loss of sense of smell or taste:
  • The child is to isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms.
  • Testing is recommended.
• If the child has a negative test result and they are feeling better, they can resume normal activities, even if the 10 days is not completed.

If the child has ONE of: chills; sore throat or painful swallowing; runny nose or congestion; feeling unwell or fatigue; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; unexplained loss of appetite; muscle or joint aches; headache; conjunctivitis:

• The child should stay home and monitor for 24 hours.
• If their symptom is improving after 24 hours, they can return to school/activities when they feel well enough to go. Testing is not necessary.
• If the symptom worsens after 24 hours (or if additional symptoms emerge), testing is recommended but not required. The child can return to activities and school when:
  • their symptoms have resolved AND it’s been at least 24 hours since their symptoms started.

If the child has any TWO of: chills; sore throat or painful swallowing; runny nose or congestion; feeling unwell or fatigue; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; unexplained loss of appetite; muscle or joint aches; headache; conjunctivitis:

• The child should stay home.
• Testing is recommended but not required.
  • The child can attend school/daycare and other public places when their symptoms have resolved AND it’s been 24 hours or more since their symptoms started.

The child with any symptoms should not visit a congregate living or acute care facility for 10 days from when symptom(s) started or until they go away (whichever is longer), unless they receive a negative COVID-19 test result and are feeling better.

Everyone

Everyone (including those under 18 years of age) in mandatory isolation and in need of COVID-19 testing, or critical care for pre-existing medical conditions or emergency care, should carefully follow the rules in the exemption orders.

• Pre-arrange your appointment and leaving your isolation area only on the date and at the time of your appointment.
• Follow all instructions provided by 811 or health-care providers.
• Use private transportation where practical.
• Maintain physical distance from others when shared transportation is necessary – travel directly to your appointment with no stops.
• Follow instructions provided by 911 if you require emergency care.

If you need immediate medical attention, call 911 and advise them that you may have COVID-19. Do not visit a hospital, doctor’s office, lab or healthcare facility for non-urgent medical needs without consulting Health Link 811 first.

About COVID-19

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause respiratory illness in humans, ranging from mild common colds to severe illnesses. Others cause illness in animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people, and more rarely, these can then spread from person to person through close contact. Novel coronaviruses are new strains of the virus that have not been previously identified in humans.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, a new virus that was first recognized in December 2019.

COVID-19 vs. Influenza

In some ways, COVID-19 is similar to influenza (also known as the flu):

• Both COVID-19 and the flu cause respiratory disease.
• Both are spread the same way, via small droplets from the nose and mouth.
• Neither one is spread through the air over long distances and times, unlike a disease like the measles.

However, there are some key differences between COVID-19 and the flu:

• The flu and COVID-19 are different viruses.
• Both have similar symptoms and it can be difficult to tell the difference between influenza and COVID-19 symptoms.
• COVID-19 and influenza spread differently
  • mainly people with COVID-19 symptoms seem to be spreading the disease, but asymptomatic transmission is possible and symptoms may be very mild, so transmission is possible even if the person is feeling well
  • controlling its spread is possible when people with symptoms are isolated
• We currently have no specific treatment for COVID-19.
• COVID-19 causes severe disease in a higher percentage of cases than seasonal influenza. Estimates of mortality in COVID-19 cases depend on many things, but on average they range from about 1-2 deaths per 100 people infected. By comparison, seasonal influenza is deadly in about 1 in every 1000 who are infected.
• Because COVID-19 can cause such a serious illness, it is critical to keep it from spreading by having people with a cough or fever stay home and away from others.

Spread

COVID-19 is passed from person–to-person through tiny droplets of liquid, spread by coughing, sneezing, talking, laughing and singing. This means that a person would need to have contact with droplets from an infected person or contaminated surfaces, in order to be exposed to COVID-19.

The time that a person can spread COVID-19 to others is called the infectious period.

For a person with COVID-19 who has symptoms, the infectious period is 48 hours before the start of symptoms until 10 days after the start of their symptoms. For some people this may be longer. See Isolation and Quarantine for more information.

For a person with COVID-19 who had no symptoms when they were tested, the infectious period is 48 hours before they had their test done, to 10 days after the date of their test (if they remain symptom free). If the person develops symptoms after having their test, they are infectious to others for the duration of their symptoms. For most people, this is until 10 days after the start of their symptoms. See Isolation and Quarantine for more information.

Risk

A higher risk of COVID-19 infection exists for people who develop a fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat or runny nose AND who also meet any of the criteria below.

In the 14 days before illness onset, they:

Travelled to anywhere outside of Canada;

OR

Had close contact* with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19;

OR

Had close contact* with a person with acute respiratory illness who has travelled anywhere outside of Canada within 14 days prior to illness onset;

OR

Had laboratory exposure to biological material (e.g. primary clinical specimens, virus culture isolates) known to contain COVID-19 virus.

Anyone meeting these criteria must stay home and avoid contact with others. See Isolation and Quarantine for more information.

*A close contact is anyone who, during the infectious period:

• lived with or was within two metres of a person with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more of cumulative contact, i.e. multiple interactions for a total of 15 minutes or more, even if a mask was worn during that contact, or .
• has had direct contact with bodily fluids of a person who has COVID-19 (e.g., was coughed or sneezed on), or
• provided direct care for a person who has COVID-19, or
• has physical contact with a person who has COVID-19, such as handshake, hugging, kissing, or sexual activity, or
• shares items with a person who has COVID-19, such as drinks, personal hygiene items, cigarettes, vapes, lipstick, eating utensils, etc.

Anyone who falls into any of the above categories is considered a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19. Wearing a non-medical mask is not sufficient to exempt you from being considered a close contact

Consistent and appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by regulated health care professionals must be assessed to determine if the individual had adequate protection from a potential COVID-19 exposure.

Learn more: Close Contacts