The CDC recommends seeking medical attention immediately if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion or the inability to arouse, or if you notice your lips or face have become blueish. Dr. Woc-Colburn advises seeking medical attention if you have diabetes, kidney issues, cardiac issues, you're immunosuppressed, or you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (an inflammatory lung disease).
If you're diabetic and your blood sugar levels are rising, it's becoming harder for you to breathe, your fever lasts longer than five days, and your cough is not improving, consult a physician via the phone, teladoc services, or go to an emergency room, according to Dr. Woc-Colburn. Because every state may have different protocols, we recommend familiarizing yourself with your local government's guidelines and speaking to a physician to find out how they would like you to proceed with getting medical attention.
If you're a generally healthy person who has a fever and feels fatigued but you aren't experiencing a shortness of breath, Dr. Woc-Colburn said you can stay home and "ride it out." Be sure to pay attention to how you are progressing over the days and if you feel like you're not improving, consult a doctor. Generally speaking, Dr. Woc-Colburn said most people will take about a week to recover, but because the research is still in an infancy phase, the recovery time may vary person to person.
POPSUGAR aims to give you the most accurate and up-to-date information about the coronavirus, but details and recommendations about this pandemic may have changed since publication. For the latest information on COVID-19, please check out resources from the WHO, CDC, and local public health departments.