COVID: testing, recovery and when to see a GP
COVID has settled into the background of everyday life, but it hasn't become harmless, especially for older people and those with other health conditions. Here's how to tell it apart from a cold, when testing is worth it, and how to recover without setting yourself back.
How can you tell COVID from a cold or the flu?
Often you can't, based on symptoms alone. COVID, influenza and the common cold share many features, including a sore throat, runny nose, cough, tiredness and fever. The only reliable way to know is to test, and knowing what you have helps you protect the people around you.
A few clues can point one way or the other. A sudden loss of taste or smell is more suggestive of COVID, while the flu tends to hit fast with fever and body aches. Still, none of these is dependable enough to skip the test. If you'd like a refresher on influenza itself, our flu vaccine guide covers it.
When should you test for COVID?
Test as soon as cold or flu-like symptoms appear, even mild ones, and before visiting anyone who is elderly, pregnant or unwell. If your first rapid antigen test is negative but symptoms continue, repeat the test over the next day or two, because it can take time for a rapid test to turn positive.
Testing matters most when the result would change what you do next: staying home from work, postponing a visit to a grandparent, or letting your GP know early because you're in a higher-risk group. If rapid tests keep coming back negative and you're quite unwell, your GP can arrange further testing and look at other causes.
Who is at higher risk with COVID?
Most healthy people have an unpleasant but manageable illness. The people more likely to become seriously unwell are older adults (particularly over 65), people who are pregnant, and those with conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung disease, kidney disease or a weakened immune system.
If that's you or someone you care for, don't wait to see how it goes. Contact your GP early in the illness. A works well when you're isolating, so your doctor can check on you, keep an eye on any other conditions, and plan the days ahead with you.
Prevention counts here too. Staying up to date with recommended boosters is part of that picture. Ask your GP what applies to you, along with the everyday basics of washing your hands, staying home when unwell, and fresh air.
How long does COVID recovery take?
Most people feel much better within one to two weeks, though tiredness can linger longer, and that's common. Pacing your return to work, exercise and social plans, rather than rushing back the moment the fever settles, gives your body the best chance of a smooth recovery.
- Rest properly in the first days. Sleep, fluids and simple food are the foundation. This is not the week to catch up on chores.
- Return in steps. Ease back into work and exercise gradually, and let how you feel the next day guide the size of the next step.
- Expect a wobble. Many people have a day or two of feeling worse again mid-recovery. Slow down, don't panic. See your GP if you're clearly deteriorating.
Recovery isn't a race back to your old schedule. The people who pace themselves usually get there sooner.
What about long COVID?
For a small number of people, symptoms persist long after the infection has cleared. Ongoing tiredness that rest doesn't fix, breathlessness, a racing heart, trouble concentrating or disturbed sleep lasting beyond about two months are worth a GP visit, both to support your recovery and to rule out other causes that can look similar.
There's no single test for long COVID, which is exactly why a longer appointment helps: your GP can listen to the whole story, examine you, arrange any tests that make sense, and put a paced plan around your return to normal life.
When is COVID an emergency?
Call 000 immediately for severe breathlessness or difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, confusion or unusual drowsiness, fainting, or lips or skin turning pale, grey or blue. Don't wait to see whether it passes, and don't drive yourself.
Emergency 000 · healthdirect advice line 1800 022 222
Unwell, or not bouncing back?
Book a GP appointment, seven days a week.
How Sirius Health can help
At our Chatswood clinic, your GP can see you by while you're infectious and in person once you're not, check on you if you're in a higher-risk group, and follow up properly when symptoms linger. Your GP may discuss what applies to your situation, including keeping recommended vaccinations up to date. We can do all of it in English, Cantonese or Mandarin.
Sources: healthdirect, COVID-19; Australian Government Department of Health, COVID-19.