COVID-19

Overview

COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Symptoms

• Common symptoms include fever
• cough
• tiredness
• loss of taste or smell. More serious symptoms include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• chest pain or pressure
• and loss of speech or movement.

Causes

COVID-19 is caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Risk Factors

Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19.