General Overview

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus. It is being closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How it Spreads

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
  
  

Learn more about how COVID-19 spreads

Symptoms of COVID-19

According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported — ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Learn more on the CDC website

Delta Variant

According to the CDC, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is highly contagious, more than twice as contagious as previous variants. 

The CDC says vaccines in the U.S. are highly effective — including against the Delta variant — and its research suggests that layered prevention strategies such as wearing face masks can help reduce transmission.

Learn more about the Delta Variant