COVID vs. the Common Cold: A Timeline

When you start to feel like you’re coming down with something, it’s natural to want to do everything possible to feel better fast. But it can be hard to tell what you have, especially since COVID can feel a lot like the common cold. 

The best way to tell the difference is to take a COVID test. But a negative test result doesn’t always rule it out — especially early in the illness. 

That’s why it’s helpful to know how COVID and the common cold are different, including what a typical course for each illness looks like.

Differences between cold and COVID symptoms

The common cold is caused by many different viruses. But they all cause similar symptoms: 

• Stuffy or runny nose

• Sneezing

• Headache

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Mild body aches

• Low fever

COVID, on the other hand, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The original strain caused a respiratory illness that was very different from anything seen before. These days, COVID often causes symptoms similar to the common cold. 

But with COVID, you can also have other symptoms. Along with “cold-like” symptoms, it can also cause: 

• High fever 

• Chills

• Shortness of breath

• Trouble breathing

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea 

• Loss of taste or smell

• Fatigue

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of common signs and symptoms: 

It’s important to remember: COVID isn’t just another cold. For some groups of people, it can still lead to severe and life-threatening complications that require hospital care. Even if you don’t have symptoms or have only mild illness, COVID can cause long-lasting symptoms or long COVID.

Quiz: Is it a cold or COVID-19?

What if my symptoms match both illnesses?

A COVID test is the only way to know for sure if you have COVID or not. Your symptoms may provide important clues, but they can’t tell you for sure whether or not you have COVID. 

There are many COVID tests available, including at-home rapid test kits that are available without a prescription at local pharmacies. If you don’t have any kits at home or can’t find them at the store, you can get a test at an urgent care center or your primary care provider’s office. Some retail pharmacies also offer drive-through COVID testing.

COVID timeline: Stages and symptoms

With COVID, symptoms can start anywhere from2 to 14 days after you’re exposed. 

There’s also a wide range in how long your COVID symptoms will last. Some people don’t have any symptoms at all, while others still feel sick for weeks. This makes it hard to predict an exact timeline. 

In general, COVID stages and symptoms tend to follow certain patterns: 

• Incubation period: This is the time between exposure to the virus and the first symptoms of COVID. This is usually about 3 to 4 days. This incubation period may continue to change with evolving variants. 

• Symptoms start: After the incubation period, you may develop symptoms of COVID. Not everyone gets or notices symptoms, but common early symptoms of COVID include nasal congestion, sore throat, and a cough.

• Symptoms peak: COVID symptoms peak around day 4 — especially symptoms like fever, muscle aches, and headache. In the past, some people lost their sense of taste or smell around days 4 to 5 (though this is less common now).

• Symptoms lessen: After the peak, symptoms feel better day by day. On average, COVID symptoms last longer than a typical cold, but this varies from person to person. COVID symptoms typically last anywhere from 1 to 14 days. 

• Symptoms linger: Some symptoms, like breathing issues, headaches, and brain fog, may take longer to pass than others. Recovery time is often longer for older adults or those with underlying medical conditions.

Cold timeline: Stages and symptoms

Like COVID, the exact timeline of cold symptoms and stages varies a bit from person to person. 

But colds do follow a more predictable pattern of stages and symptoms, including how long cold symptoms last: 

• Incubation period: Nost cold viruses have an incubation time of 1 to 3 days. But it can be as short as 12 hours. For example, if you spend time with someone who’s sick in the morning and you start feeling worn out that evening, you may be coming down with a cold. 

• Symptoms start: You’ll likely feel your first symptoms within 3 days of exposure. This could be a sniffle, a sore throat, or a vague feeling of being “off.”

• Symptoms peak: Cold symptoms usually peak 1 to 3 days after your first symptom starts. This is when you’ll feel your worst. You might feel tired or have a cough, congestion, or a headache. While most adults don’t get a fever with a cold, it can happen in children. 

• Symptoms lessen: Most colds last about 7 to 10 days. You should feel your symptoms getting better during this time.

• Symptoms linger: With the common cold, it’s normal for a cough general fatigue to linger for a couple of weeks. For some people, a cough can continue for months or even longer.

Stages of COVID-19 vs. stages of a cold

Like with any upper respiratory illnesses, there’s a range of how sick you might feel if you catch either COVID or a cold. Here’s a comparison of the typical course of each illness. 

How long are you contagious with COVID or a cold?

Whether you have a cold or COVID, you could be contagious from the time you’re infected, through the incubation period, and until your symptoms go away. 

How long you’re contagious will depend on how long your symptoms last. But you’re probably at your most contagious when your symptoms are at their worst. So, if you’re having lots of symptoms, you’re more likely to be contagious. And, when your symptoms have resolved, you’re less likely to be contagious.

Treatment for COVID vs. a common cold

There’s no cure for the common cold or COVID. But oral treatments for COVID include:

• Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir)

• Lagevrio (molnupiravir).

These treatments work best if you start taking them within 5 to 7 days of when you first develop symptoms. So, if you think you might have COVID, get tested as soon as possible. You can take Paxlovid or Lageviro even if your COVID symptoms are mild. 

There aren’t any treatments that can make the common cold go away faster. But there are common cold treatments that can make you more comfortable while you wait for your immune system to fight off the virus causing your cold. Some of these home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments can also help relieve mild COVID symptoms.

Here are a few to try:

• Rest: Whether you have a cold or COVID, it’s important to get plenty of rest. This will let your body recover and give your immune system time to fight off the virus.

• Fluids: Make sure to drink water and electrolyte drinks so you can stay hydrated. Keeping hydrated helps your immune system work properly. It also thins out your mucus, which can relieve congestion and a stuffy nose. 

• Fever relievers: OTC pain and fever relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Aleve, Motrin) can help reduce fever, body aches, and headaches. 

• Sore throat remedies: Honey, tea, and lozenges are common sore throat remedies that can ease discomfort and scratchy throat from COVID and the common cold. 

• Humidifiers: Humidifiers add moisture to the air, which thins out mucus and helps relieve nasal congestion and stuffiness. For added relief, add nasal saline rinses with a neti pot.

If your symptoms start to improve but then worsen again, contact a healthcare professional. Worsening symptoms after 7 to 10 days can mean that you’re dealing with another health problem, like sinusitis or pneumonia. 

You should also seek urgent medical attention if you develop more serious symptoms, such as:

• Fever

• Shivering or feeling cold

• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

• Rapid breathing

• High heart rate (over 100 beats per minute) or a feeling that the heart is racing

• Confusion or trouble thinking clearly

• Severe fatigue and weakness

• Inability to eat or drink

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Written by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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