You can be infected with the coronavirus and not have a cough. If you do have one, it may be mild and infrequent, or you may cough heavily at times. Remember that it is possible to have COVID-19 with minimal symptoms or even no symptoms at all.
If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
“If you have mild symptoms of a cold, and are just feeling a little bit out of sorts, it's perfectly fine to go ahead and get your influenza vaccination or your COVID vaccination. Whether it's your first dose or your third, it doesn't matter — go ahead, get that vaccine,” said Schaffner.
Aerosolized coronavirus can remain in the air for up to three hours.
For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes).
If you have milder symptoms like a fever, shortness of breath, or coughing: Stay home unless you need medical care. If you do need to go in, call your doctor or hospital first for guidance. Tell your doctor about your illness.
What if you have mild cold or flu-like symptoms (stuffy nose, headache) and test negative for COVID-19? You can still get boosted, according to the CDC. But be sure to wear a mask to the vaccine site in order to protect yourself and others.
The four most common symptoms of the omicron variant are cough, fatigue, congestion and runny nose, according to a CDC analysis of the first 43 cases investigated in the U.S. The CDC's list of COVID-19 symptoms includes fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting.