COVID-19 moves fast, but now you can too.Know your risk status. Know your treatment options. Act fast.
Determine your risk status
Know which factors could put you at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and may make you
eligible for treatment options.1
View High Risk
Factors Loading Identify your symptoms
COVID-19 can show up in one or more ways, like a cough, a sniffle, or just feeling tired.2
Explore the
Full List Loading Get tested quickly
Don't wait—get tested as soon as you feel symptoms or within 5 days of a recent
exposure.3,4
Learn More
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options
If you test positive and think that you may be at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19,
treatment options could be right for you.5
Find Out More
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COVID-19 Action Plan
Don’t wait until it’s too late—create your COVID-19 Action Plan so you’re prepared if you
test positive.
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COVID-19 Risk Checker
Answer a few short questions to determine if you’re at high risk for severe COVID-19 and
may be eligible for treatment.
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Understanding Your Risk Status
What does it mean to be at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19?
Being at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 does not mean that you’re more likely to get the
virus. Instead, high risk factors make it more likely that your COVID-19 symptoms could get worse, possibly
leading to serious illness, hospitalisation, or, potentially, death.1,5,6
It doesn’t take long for even mild symptoms to turn severe—in fact, this usually happens in about a week.
But if you're at high risk of your COVID-19 progressing to serious illness, you may also be eligible for
treatment.1,4Not sure if you are living with a risk
factor? Use the
COVID-19 Risk Checker to confirm your risk statusLoading
Having high risk factors is more common than you think6
Knowing your risk status is an important part of protecting yourself from severe COVID-19. Having even 1
risk factor can significantly increase your chances of getting very sick if you test positive for
COVID-19.6Here is a list of common factors that may put you at high
risk1:For a full list of high risk factors, please visit <local link>.
Age 65+CancerChronic kidney diseaseChronic lung diseaseChronic liver diseaseHeart conditionsDementia or other neurological conditions
HIV infectionDisabilitiesCystic fibrosisWeakened immune systemCurrent or former smoking statusOverweight and obeseSickle cell disease or thalassaemiaSolid organ or blood stem cell transplant
DiabetesTuberculosisStroke or cerebrovascular disease Physical inactivitySubstance use disordersMental health conditionsPregnancy
MYTHNot many people are at risk for severe
COVID-19.
FACTAbout 1 in 5 people worldwide has at least 1
risk factor that could make their COVID-19 symptoms worse.7
Identify COVID‑19
Symptoms
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a disease caused by an infection from a virus called SARS-CoV-2, which belongs to the
coronavirus family. You can get COVID-19 through contact with someone who has the virus.8
COVID-19 spreads quickly, so be sure to act fast if you think you may have been exposed or begin to feel
symptoms.9What are COVID-19 symptoms?
COVID-19 can show up in one or more ways, like a cough, a sniffle, a fever, or just feeling tired. For some
people, even mild symptoms can quickly become severe.2,4
The moment you start feeling symptoms, you should get tested right away, no matter how mild they may feel at
first.4
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include2:
Loss of taste or smellNausea or vomitingSore throatDiarrhoeaFever or chillsMuscle or body achesCongestion or runny noseCoughFatigueHeadacheShortness of breath
or difficulty breathing
When you have COVID-19, you could feel any combination of the symptoms above at different times and with
different severity.2
MYTHIt's not COVID-19 unless you've lost your
senses of smell and taste.
FACTCOVID-19 can present a range of symptoms—you
could even have an asymptomatic case with no noticeable symptoms.2,9
Determine if You
Have COVID-19 Through Testing
Why is it important to test for COVID‑19?
COVID-19 spreads quickly, and you may infect others without knowing.9
Every day matters when it comes to treating COVID-19, so test right away. Current treatment options are most
effective when taken as soon as symptoms appear and you have a positive test result.4,5
You should get tested as soon as you begin
to experience symptoms or within 5 days of a known COVID-19 exposure.
You can check if you have COVID-19 using a rapid or PCR test.3
For more information about local testing options, please visit <local link>
MYTHYou only need to be tested
for COVID-19 if you’re experiencing symptoms.
FACTThe CDC recommends getting tested within 5 days
of possible exposure to COVID-19, even if you don't have symptoms.3
Understanding COVID-19
Treatment Options
What do COVID-19 treatments do?
Treatment options have been developed to help patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and reduce your
chances of hospitalisation and, potentially, death from severe symptoms.5
COVID-19 treatments are most effective when started as soon as possible after you test positive. You don’t
have to wait until your symptoms get worse—you should begin treatment when you have mild-to-moderate
symptoms.5
Could treatment be right for you?
Treatment options may be available if you are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and test
positive. So if you do test positive, talk to your healthcare professional right away and ask if one may be
right for you.5
When talking to your healthcare professional about COVID-19 treatment options, consider and discuss the
following:
Keep a list of your current medications to share with your healthcare professional when considering COVID-19
treatment options.5
Speak with your healthcare professional to see if you may be eligible for treatment options.5To learn more about treatment
eligibility and availability, please visit <local
link>Loading
MYTHIf you get sick with
COVID-19, there’s nothing you can do but wait out your symptoms.
References: 1. People with
certain medical conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated May 2, 2022. Accessed August
18, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html2. Symptoms of COVID-19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated August 11, 2022.
Accessed August 18, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html3. COVID-19 testing: what you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Updated August 11, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html4. Bestetti R, Furlan-Daniel R, Silva V. Pharmacological treatment of patients with mild to
moderate COVID-19: A comprehensive review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(13):7212.
5. COVID-19 treatments and medications. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated
August 5, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/treatments-for-severe-illness.html6. Guan W-J, Liang W-H, Shi Y, et al. Chronic respiratory diseases and the outcomes of
COVID-19: A nationwide retrospective cohort study of 39,420 cases. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract.
2021;9(7):2645-2655.e14. 7. Clark A, Jit M, Warren-Gash C, et al. Global, regional, and
national estimates of the population at increased risk of severe COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions
in 2020: a modelling study. Lancet Glob Health. 2020;8(8):1003-1017. 8. Pekosz A,
Parvu V, Li M, et al. Antigen-based testing but not real-time polymerase chain reaction correlates with severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viral culture. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;73(9):e2861-e2866.
9. Bar-On YM, Flamholz A, Phillips R, Milo R. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by the numbers.
eLife. 2020;9:e57309.
