Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19

COVID-19 infection is a disease caused by a novel coronavirus that leads to a respiratory illness and can be spread from person to person. COVID-19 has now spread globally, including to the United States. While COVID-19 is a "new" disease, coronaviruses have been known and studied for many years at the Perelman School of Medicine and other academic centers of research.

Symptoms of this virus can be very similar to other seasonal respiratory infections like colds and influenza, or "the flu." Most commonly these include fever, muscle aches, cough, and difficulty breathing. In addition, patients may experience chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.

Many people have the COVID-19 infection with no symptoms at all (asymptomatic infection). Most patients with COVID-19 have only mild flu-like and respiratory symptoms, which can be managed at home. However, some patients may develop severe pneumonia and breathing problems that require hospitalization.

If you have milder symptoms like a fever or cough, you should get tested for COVID-19. While awaiting your results or after you test positive, stay home unless you need medical care.

Stay away from other people in your home as much as possible by remaining in one designated sick room and using a separate bathroom if you can. Wear a face mask if you must be around other people, including those inside your home.

Rest, hydrate and track your symptoms. If your symptoms become severe, seek emergency medical care.

Symptoms of COVID-19 that require immediate emergency medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Pain or pressure in the chest that is persistent
• Confusion
• Trouble waking up or staying awake
• Pale, gray, or bluish skin, lips or face

If you have any of these symptoms, please seek immediate care by calling 911 or visiting the nearest emergency room. There are other possible severe COVID symptoms. Please call your health care provider if you have other symptoms that are concerning you.

According to the CDC, symptoms of COVID-19 can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after you are exposed to the virus. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should get tested.

View COVID-19 testing requirements, locations and hours.

At this time, COVID-19 is widespread throughout the United States, and it is essential to get vaccinated, wear a mask, and continue to practice social distancing to protect yourself and your family from coming into contact with the virus.

You may be particularly at risk for getting the virus if you have traveled to an area with widespread transmission or live in an area of the country with a particularly high number of cases. If you live in Pennsylvania, the state government updates information on the number of cases in Pennsylvania by county every day.

You should discuss with your primary care doctor if you are concerned about exposure to people with known COVID-19 infection, or if you have symptoms such as fever and cough or shortness of breath.

COVID-19 is spread from person to person in a fashion similar to that of other respiratory viruses: You can get the virus from inhaling particles sprayed into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, especially if you are within six feet of an infected person. You can also get the virus from touching a surface that an infected person coughed or sneezed on and then transferring the virus to your body by touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

For people who have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection, testing is done through a swab of your nose and throat that is tested for evidence of the virus. Penn Medicine is performing this test in our laboratory and also sending testing to outside commercial labs for patients suspected of COVID-19 infection. Your health care provider will determine whether testing is appropriate for you based on your symptoms and exposure history.

Importantly, MOST people with COVID-19 do well and recover fully within a week or two of their illness. Even though there are no specific treatments or vaccines for the COVID-19 virus at this time, most people are cured by their own immune system and recover fully.

Older adults (especially over age 60) and those with chronic medical conditions (such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and lung disease) are at highest risk for getting pneumonia and requiring hospitalization from COVID-19. Patients with conditions that result in weak immune systems (from steroids, cancer drugs, organ or bone marrow transplants, etc.) may also be more susceptible to infection.

It is not known if pregnant women are at higher risk of problems from COVID-19; however, it is always important for pregnant women to protect themselves from illnesses.

Learn more about pregnancy, breastfeeding and the coronavirus.

Severe illness: For those who are very sick (most often due to low oxygen levels or lung damage from pneumonia), hospitalization is required. In the hospital, patients receive oxygen and other treatments to help their breathing as well as supportive care and very close monitoring. Penn Medicine is participating in several clinical trials of medications to fight SARS CoV2, including hydroxychloroqine, remdesivir and convalescent plasma.

Mild to moderate illness: Most people who are infected do not get low oxygen levels and are able to stay home and monitor themselves for improvement or worsening. Over-the-counter medicines can be used to manage symptoms. Infected persons can often have telephone check-ins with health providers for close monitoring.

Patients with the virus who are well enough to recover from home after they've been discharged, as well as patients who are confirmed or likely to have COVID-19 but not sick enough to need hospitalization, are supported from home using automated remote monitoring programs.

Learn more about COVID-19 prevention and treatment

Yes, if your symptoms are mild, you can likely recover from COVID-19 at home without medical care.

Learn what to do if you have or suspect you have COVID-19, including information on testing, isolation and emergency care.

Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 may be supported from home by a team of Penn Medicine doctors and nurses using two remote monitoring programs.

These remote monitoring programs are used by patients with the virus who are well enough to recover from home after they've been discharged from Penn Medicine emergency departments and hospitals, as well as patients who are confirmed or likely to have COVID-19 but not sick enough to need hospitalization.

COVID Watch is an automated text messaging system that provides 24/7 clinical feedback and support. Patients enrolled in the program receive check-in messages every morning and afternoon. At any time, patients can also text the word "worse" to receive a call from a Penn Medicine clinician within 1 hour.

COVID Pulse is a program that allows patients to monitor their oxygen levels at home with a pulse oximeter device, also known as a "pulse ox." This device measures oxygen levels to help Penn Medicine clinicians know how much oxygen is in the patient's blood.

The COVID-19 vaccine is still the best defense against COVID-19 infection, however there is additional medication available to help lower the risk of becoming infected.

The monoclonal antibody combination, tixagevimab and cilgavimab (Evusheld), is under Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA for patients who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. It has been shown to moderately reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 infection.

Evusheld is not a substitute for being vaccinated against COVID-19, especially because it may not protect people against the Omicron variant as effectively as vaccines do. Evusheld is not recommended for people who were recently exposed to or those who are infected with COVID-19.

Learn more about Evusheld in the FDA’s FACT SHEET.

If you think you might have COVID-19, there are steps you should take to help prevent the virus from spreading to others in your home and community, including:

• Get tested for COVID-19 and act as if you have the virus until you receive a negative result
• Stay away from others if you have symptoms
• Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth while you are near others

Learn more about what to do if you have COVID-19 or suspect you have the virus.

The best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is by getting vaccinated and boosted.

Read our COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs

You can avoid being exposed to this virus through the following:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Practice "social distancing:" Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay at least six feet away from other people.
• Clean and disinfect high-touch objects and surfaces (counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and bedside tables, light switches) using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Because infected people can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

In addition, to help prevent the spread of the disease to others and prepare for possible infection:

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue (and then dispose of this) or your elbow.
• Contact your health care provider to ask about getting an extra supply of your regular prescription medicines to have on hand if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in the community and you need to stay home for a long period of time.
• Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms. Most people will be able to recover from COVID-19 at home.
• Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.

If you test positive for COVID-19, the CDC recommends that you stay home for five days, regardless of your vaccination status. If you have no or symptoms or your symptoms have resolved after five days, you can leave your house. You should continue to wear a mask around others for five additional days. If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

Learn more on the CDC website

The CDC has excellent advice to help prevent household members from getting infection if someone in the home has COVID-19. These include sleeping in separate rooms, using separate bathrooms if possible, frequent hand-washing and staying more than six feet away from the infected person.

Let your health care provider know right away if you are aware of having contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. Your provider can determine if you need testing and provide more education on how to prevent further risk of infection to you and to prevent spread of infection to others.

Individuals with COVID-19 can breastfeed if they wish to do so. They should:

1. Practice respiratory hygiene during feeding, wearing a mask where available
2. Wash hands before and after touching the baby
3. Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces they have touched

If you're pregnant and concerned about how COVID-19 can affect your health and the health of your baby, we have put together additional information about how to protect yourself, the risks of COVID-19 to pregnant people and their babies, and more.

Read about COVID and Pregnancy: Risks, Vaccines and Breastfeeding

Being immunocompromised means that your immune system's defenses are low, affecting its ability to fight off illness and infection, including COVID-19. Certain conditions like autoimmune diseases (i.e., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes), your age, and a history of smoking could increase the chance of infection. Medical treatments, such as cancer treatments and organ and bone marrow transplants, can also weaken or suppress the immune system.

If you're immunocompromised, it's especially important to protect yourself by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, washing your hands, frequently disinfecting high-touch surface areas and practicing social distancing. Penn Medicine has also put many safety measures in place throughout our locations to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure to even our most vulnerable patients.

To learn more, we recommend reading:

• What You Need to Know About Being Immunocompromised During COVID-19
• Cancer and COVID-19: What You Should Know and How We're Protecting Patients
• Information on Coronavirus for Transplant Patients

The CDC has detailed advice regarding travel.

If you travel, take the following routine precautions:

• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
• Make sure you are up-to-date with your vaccinations.

Currently, Penn Medicine has protocols in place to maximize the safety of all who enter our hospitals and facilities. These safety policies include limiting the number of people accompanying patients to appointments or seeing them in the hospital. Please review our up-to-date safety policies and visitor guidelines.

The health and safety of both our patients and our staff is of the utmost importance. That's why we've required all employees, medical staff, and other health care personnel to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

If you feel anxious or have concerns about coming in for care, call our hotline at 833-983-1350 to speak with us. We also can connect you with a behavioral health specialist who can talk with you about your concerns.

Currently, we have practices in place, including limiting visitors, to maximize the safety of all who enter our hospitals and facilities. Read our current visitation policy.

We are prioritizing patients for surgery based on their medical condition, their risk for disease progression, their decision to have surgery or procedure, and available resources.

It is important that you discuss whether to postpone your surgery with your doctor. You and your surgeon can make an informed decision together based on your specific medical condition.

The Laboratory Patient Service Centers are prioritizing orders for patients who require urgent laboratory testing. If you have non-urgent lab testing orders, we ask that you postpone those orders. If you are not sure how long you can safely delay, please speak with your provider.

While some radiology locations offer walk-in visits, we recommend that all patients schedule an appointment. This will ensure that any pre-certification needed is complete before your visit. To schedule, visit our locations and hours page or call the appropriate number below and a representative will help you find a location and a time that's right for you:

• Philadelphia region: 215-662-3000
• Chester County Hospital: 610-431-5131
• Lancaster General Health:
  • Diagnostic imaging (no MRI): 717-544-5941 or toll-free 877-643-7518
  • MRI: 717-291-1016
• Princeton Health: 609-853-7070

At Penn Medicine, we provide COVID-19 testing to patients who are experiencing coronavirus-like symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic. View Penn Medicine testing center types, locations and eligibility requirements. 

At-home tests also can help determine whether you have COVID-19. Every home in the U.S. can order up to four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. Learn more at covidtests.gov.

If you cannot find a place to get tested, and do not have access to an at-home antigen test, you should assume your symptoms are likely to be from COVID-19.

Isolate in accordance with CDC guidance and talk to your healthcare provider.

Learn more about what to do if you think you may have COVID-19.

CDC and partners are investigating to determine if you can get sick with COVID-19 more than once. At this time, we are not sure if you can become re-infected. Until we know more, continue to take steps to protect yourself and others.

Serology testing, or antibody testing, checks a sample of a person's blood to look for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These antibodies are produced when someone has been infected, so a positive result from this test indicates that person was previously infected with the virus. We do not know yet if the antibodies that result from infection with SARS-CoV-2 can protect someone from reinfection with this virus and if they do, how long this protection will last.

At Penn Medicine, antibody testing is available for patients with specific clinical indications. If you have additional questions about whether you are eligible for antibody testing, please contact your regular medical provider.

To learn more, watch our videos on:

• What Are Antibodies?
• How Does Antibody Testing Work?