What is a fever?
A fever is an increase in body temperature most often caused by an illness. Normally, your body temperature is somewhere around 98.ºF. But any temperature between 97ºF and 99ºF can be normal for you.
A fever may cause uncomfortable symptoms such as body aches and fatigue. In most cases, a fever resolves on its own within a few days.
However, adults should seek medical attention for their fever if it doesn’t improve within a few days, or it’s at least 103ºF. Infants and children may need to seek medical help sooner. Contact your child’s pediatrician for guidance.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that was first detected in 2019 called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Though there are many types of coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 spreads easily and may cause serious life-threatening symptoms such as respiratory failure.
COVID-19 symptoms vary in type and severity and usually occur in 2-14 days of exposure to the virus. A fever is one of the most common COVID-19 symptoms. Other symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Body aches
- Chills
- Headaches
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Loss of taste or smell
Some people with COVID-19 have a low-grade fever that lasts for only a few days, while others may not have any fever at all.
Should I get tested for COVID-19 if I have a fever?
You can develop a fever from any health issue or infection. Your primary care doctor or the team at Test 4 Free can talk to you about COVID-19 testing if you have a fever.
You may benefit from COVID-19 testing if you have a fever in addition to some of the other common symptoms, or if you were in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
They perform a nasal swab and use the molecular-based rT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) to test for the virus. This test is the most sensitive test for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Your nasal test at Test 4 Free takes about five minutes, and you should have your results within a few days. The team reviews the wait time for results at the time of your test. They also recommend you to self-quarantine until your test results are available.
COVID-19 is a serious viral infection that has affected millions of people around the world. A fever is one of the most common symptoms.
If you have concerns about COVID-19 and want to know more about getting tested, contact Test 4 Free by phone or book an appointment online today.
