COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to a range of other illnesses, such as influenza.

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COVID-19 symptoms

Having them does not necessarily mean that you have COVID-19.

Symptoms include:

  • a cough
  • a high temperature of at least 38°C
  • shortness of breath
  • sore throat
  • sneezing and runny nose 
  • temporary loss of smell.

These symptoms don't necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.

Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.

If you have these symptoms please call Healthline for free on 0800 358 5453 or you can call your doctor immediately. If you're outside New Zealand call +64 9 358 5453 or your doctor. Call your doctor before visiting.

Time for symptoms to appear

We don’t yet know how long symptoms take to show after a person has been infected, but current World Health Organization assessments suggest that it's 2 to 10 days.

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