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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. Video assessment of your symptoms and risk, with antiviral treatment if you are eligible.
- Symptoms: most often a sore throat, a blocked or runny nose, cough, fever, tiredness and aches; loss of smell is now less common.
- Antivirals: for adults at higher risk of severe illness who do not need oxygen, started within 5 days of the first symptoms.
- Contagious: from about 2 days before symptoms start; most people stop being infectious after about 5 days, some only after 10.
- Emergency: call 112 if you are struggling to breathe at rest, have chest pain, feel confused, or your lips turn blue or grey.
Do not book a video appointment if you are struggling to breathe at rest or cannot speak in full sentences, have chest pain or pressure, feel confused or unusually drowsy, or your lips or skin look blue, grey or very pale. These need emergency care: call 112.
Can an online doctor treat COVID-19?
Yes. Most COVID-19 is mild and is managed at home, and the decisions that matter come from a careful conversation: how unwell you are, when your symptoms started and whether you are at higher risk. The doctor reviews your symptoms and test result by video, watches how you breathe and talk, and, if you are eligible, can prescribe an antiviral medicine after checking it against your other medicines. Breathlessness at rest, chest pain or confusion needs emergency care instead.
How an online consultation helps with COVID-19
- Your risk assessed early: Antiviral treatment only works if it starts within 5 days of the first symptoms, so the doctor checks first whether your age or health puts you in a group that benefits.
- Medicines checked for interactions: The COVID-19 antiviral interacts with many common medicines, including some statins, blood thinners and heart rhythm medicines. The doctor goes through your list before deciding.
- Breathing and warning signs checked: The doctor watches how you breathe and speak, asks about chest pain and dizziness, and tells you straight away if you need to be seen in person.
- A plan for the days ahead: You leave knowing how to ease the symptoms, how long to stay away from others, and which changes mean you should get help again.
What the doctor checks in an online COVID-19 consultation
The consultation follows a fixed order, and the emergency signs come first. The doctor asks about:
- Breathing and circulation: breathlessness at rest or when talking, chest pain or pressure, dizziness or fainting, and blue, grey or very pale lips or skin.
- When it started and your test result: the day of your first symptoms matters, because antiviral treatment has to start within 5 days.
- Your risk of severe illness: your age, pregnancy, a weakened immune system, and long-term conditions such as diabetes or heart, lung, kidney or liver disease.
- Your medicines: every prescription, pharmacy and herbal medicine you take, including St John’s wort and hormonal contraception.
- How you are coping: whether you are eating and drinking, passing urine normally, and have someone at home who can help.
Before the call, have your test result, the date your symptoms began, and your medicines or their packets to hand. Take your temperature if you have a thermometer, and your oxygen level if you have a pulse oximeter.
COVID-19 symptoms
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Symptoms usually start 3 to 6 days after you catch it, though it can take up to 14 days, and many people find it feels like a heavy cold or flu. The most common symptoms are:
- a sore or scratchy throat
- a high temperature, chills or shivers
- a new cough
- a blocked or runny nose and sneezing
- tiredness and exhaustion
- a headache and aching muscles
A new, continuous cough means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. Less common symptoms include a loss or change in your sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, and feeling or being sick. Loss of smell is no longer the hallmark it was early in the pandemic, so not having it does not rule COVID-19 out. Some people, especially those who have been vaccinated or infected before, have very mild symptoms or none at all.
Symptoms of recent COVID-19 variants
With recent variants, many people have cold-like symptoms. Some report a hoarse voice or a very painful sore throat, which the media has called “razor-blade throat”. Symptoms can change as new variants appear, so any of the symptoms above can be COVID-19, and a test is the only way to know.
Is it COVID-19, flu or a cold?
COVID-19, flu, RSV and the common cold share most of their symptoms, and no single sign tells them apart. The pattern helps, but only a test confirms COVID-19.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Sign | COVID-19 | Flu | Common cold |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it starts | Over a day or two, sometimes suddenly | Suddenly, often within hours | Gradually, over a day or two |
| Fever | Common, can be high | Common, often high, with chills | Rare in adults, and mild |
| Aches and exhaustion | Common | Common and often severe | Mild |
| Sore throat and runny nose | Common | Sometimes | Typical |
| Loss of smell or taste | Possible, less common than before | Uncommon | Only with a very blocked nose |
| Breathlessness | Possible, and a warning sign | Possible, and a warning sign | Unusual |
| How it is confirmed | Rapid antigen test or PCR | Rapid flu test or PCR | No test needed |
A rapid antigen test from a pharmacy gives a result while you wait. Test as soon as symptoms start. A positive result is reliable, but a single negative result cannot rule COVID-19 out, because an early test can miss the infection: if you still feel unwell, test again 48 hours later. Knowing which virus you have matters most if you are at higher risk, because COVID-19 and flu are treated with different antiviral medicines.
How long does COVID-19 last, and how long are you contagious?
Most people feel better within a week to 10 days. A cough and tiredness can linger for a few weeks after the other symptoms settle, and that alone is not a reason to worry if you are steadily improving. Getting worse after the first week is different: it can mean a chest infection or pneumonia and needs a doctor’s review.
You can pass COVID-19 on from about 2 days before your symptoms start. You are most infectious in the first few days, and most people are no longer infectious after about 5 days, although some can pass it on for up to 10 days. If you test positive, try to stay at home and away from other people for 5 days, and avoid anyone at higher risk of severe illness for 10 days.
The contagious calculator works out your likely contagious period from the day your symptoms started.
Is COVID-19 still around?
Yes. The virus that causes COVID-19 still circulates all year, causing outbreaks worldwide without a settled seasonal pattern, and it still causes hospital admissions and deaths. It comes in waves, and in winter it circulates together with flu and RSV. The COVID-19 tracker shows how much COVID-19 is going around now.
COVID-19 was first reported in December 2019. Nearly 780 million cases and more than 7.1 million deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization, and the true numbers are thought to be higher. WHO ended the global health emergency in May 2023, and for most people the illness is now less severe than early in the pandemic.
Who is at higher risk from COVID-19?
Most adults recover at home without treatment. The risk of severe illness rises with age and with certain conditions, and these are the people antiviral treatment is meant for:
- people aged 60 and over, with the risk rising further with age
- a weakened immune system, for example from cancer treatment, an organ transplant, immune-suppressing medicines or advanced HIV
- long-term heart, lung, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, or a neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis
- severe obesity
- pregnancy
- not being vaccinated against COVID-19
If you are in one of these groups, speak to a doctor as soon as you test positive or develop symptoms, rather than waiting to see how it goes. Vaccination remains the most effective protection against severe illness, and the World Health Organization advises older adults and people in risk groups to have a booster 6 to 12 months after their last dose.
Long COVID: when symptoms do not go away
Most people recover fully, but about 6 in 100 people who have COVID-19 develop post COVID-19 condition, usually called long COVID. The World Health Organization defines it as symptoms that usually start within 3 months of the infection, last at least 2 months and have no other explanation. The most common symptoms are:
- extreme tiredness that rest does not fix, often worse after physical or mental effort
- breathlessness
- aching muscles and joints
- problems with memory and concentration, often called brain fog
- headaches, poor sleep, and changes in smell or taste
- low mood or anxiety
If you still have symptoms 4 weeks or more after COVID-19, speak to a doctor. The doctor looks for other causes that need treatment, such as anaemia, a heart or lung problem or an underactive thyroid, tells you which tests you need, and agrees a plan with you for pacing your activity and returning to work. Tests and rehabilitation take place in person.
Which COVID-19 treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on how unwell you are, how long you have had symptoms and your risk of severe illness. This is the decision framework the doctors use, aligned with WHO, NICE and European Medicines Agency guidance.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild symptoms, not in a higher-risk group | Rest, fluids and paracetamol or ibuprofen; no antiviral needed | Usually yes | If you become breathless, or get worse instead of better after the first week |
| Higher risk of severe illness, symptoms for 5 days or fewer | Assessment for nirmatrelvir with ritonavir, after an interaction check | Usually yes | If you are breathless at rest or need oxygen |
| Higher risk, symptoms for more than 5 days | Self-care with close monitoring; the antiviral is no longer suitable | Usually yes | If your breathing or general condition gets worse |
| Fever or cough getting worse after the first week | Assessment for pneumonia or a bacterial infection | Partly; an examination or chest X-ray may be needed | If you are breathless, have chest pain or a low oxygen level |
| Symptoms 4 weeks or more after the infection | Review for other causes, and a recovery plan | Yes, for the assessment and plan | For tests, scans and rehabilitation |
| Breathless at rest, chest pain, confusion, blue lips | Emergency care | No | Call 112 now |
Not sure whether COVID-19 treatment would help you? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for COVID-19
What you can do yourself
- Rest, and drink enough that your urine stays pale.
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever, aches and a sore throat, at the dose on the pack. Ibuprofen does not suit everyone, including people with a stomach ulcer, kidney problems or heart failure, or anyone who is pregnant.
- For a cough, try a spoonful of honey in a warm drink, and lie on your side or sleep propped up on pillows rather than flat on your back.
- If you feel a little short of breath, sit upright, keep the room cool by turning the heating down or opening a window, and breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. Do not use a fan, which may spread the virus. Breathlessness that keeps getting worse needs a doctor.
- Stay at home while you have a fever or feel unwell, air shared rooms, and wear a well-fitting mask if you have to be around others.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. If you are at higher risk of severe illness and your symptoms started within the last 5 days, the doctor may prescribe nirmatrelvir with ritonavir, a 5-day course of tablets that lowers the risk of becoming seriously ill. Ritonavir changes how the body handles many other medicines, including some statins, blood thinners, heart rhythm and epilepsy medicines, and St John’s wort, so the doctor checks everything you take and may ask you to pause a medicine during the course. It can also make hormonal contraception less reliable, so use condoms as well during the course and for one menstrual cycle afterwards. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Antibiotics do not work against COVID-19, which is a virus, and they do not stop a chest infection from developing. They are only used if the doctor finds signs of a bacterial infection on top. Cough mixtures have little evidence behind them, and strong cough suppressants such as codeine are not prescribed online.
Special situations
COVID-19 in pregnancy
Pregnancy raises the risk of severe COVID-19, and vaccination is recommended during pregnancy. Paracetamol is the usual choice for fever and pain. Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir is not recommended in pregnancy unless the benefit clearly outweighs the risk, so the doctor weighs this with you. Tell the doctor how many weeks pregnant you are, and get urgent care for breathlessness or if your baby is moving less than usual.
A weakened immune system
If your immune system is weakened, you may stay infectious for longer and early treatment matters more. Test as soon as symptoms start, and contact your specialist team as well as speaking to a doctor.
Over 60 or living with a long-term condition
COVID-19 can make diabetes, heart failure or lung disease harder to control. Ask the doctor which of your usual medicines to keep taking while you are ill, check your blood sugar more often if you have diabetes, and get help early if you become breathless or confused.
COVID-19 while travelling
Rapid antigen tests are sold in pharmacies across Europe. If you test positive while away, rest where you are staying rather than travelling with a fever, and keep a list of your medicines with you, because the doctor needs it to check for interactions.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When COVID-19 is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: suspected or confirmed COVID-19 with mild to moderate symptoms, checks on whether antiviral treatment would help you, medicine interaction checks, advice on isolation and returning to work, and symptoms that are lasting longer than expected.
In-person care: breathlessness at rest, a low oxygen level, chest pain, dehydration, confusion, suspected pneumonia that needs an examination or X-ray, and treatment with oxygen or hospital medicines.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- difficulty breathing at rest, or being too breathless to speak in full sentences
- chest pain or pressure that does not go away
- confusion, unusual drowsiness or difficulty staying awake
- blue, grey or very pale lips, face or skin
- coughing up blood
Get medical advice the same day for:
- breathlessness that is getting worse, even if it is mild
- a high temperature lasting 5 days or more, or one that does not come down with paracetamol
- symptoms that improved and then got worse again
- being unable to keep fluids down, or passing very little urine
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your symptoms: say when they started and what your test showed, and have a list of your medicines ready, including any contraception.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s COVID-19? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Flu can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about COVID-19
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are a sore throat, a high temperature or chills, a cough, a blocked or runny nose, tiredness, headache and aching muscles. A loss or change in smell or taste is now less common. Symptoms usually start 3 to 6 days after catching the virus, and some people have none at all.
What are the symptoms of the latest COVID-19 variant?
With recent COVID-19 variants, many people have cold-like symptoms: a sore throat, a blocked or runny nose, a cough, tiredness and aches. Some report a hoarse voice or a very painful sore throat, which the media has called razor-blade throat. Symptoms can change with new variants, so a test is the only way to know.
Is COVID-19 still around?
Yes. The COVID-19 virus still circulates all year, in waves rather than a fixed season, and in winter it circulates together with flu and RSV. It still causes hospital admissions and deaths, mainly in people aged 75 and over and people with a weakened immune system.
What causes COVID-19, and how do you catch it?
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which spreads mainly through the air, in droplets and fine aerosols breathed out by an infected person when they talk, cough, sneeze or sing, which is why indoor, crowded and poorly ventilated spaces carry most risk; surfaces matter much less. People are infectious from about 2 days before symptoms start, so many catch it from someone who felt well at the time, and symptoms begin 3 to 6 days after exposure.
How can I avoid catching or spreading COVID-19?
Have the autumn COVID-19 vaccine if you are offered one, which cuts the risk of severe illness most for people over 75 and those with weakened immunity; ventilate rooms, wear a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor places during waves, wash hands, and stay home while feverish. If you are at higher risk and live with someone who has COVID-19, keep your distance, open windows and get tested early so antivirals can start within 5 days.
How long does COVID-19 last?
Most people with COVID-19 feel better within a week to 10 days, although a cough and tiredness can linger for a few weeks. If you are getting worse instead of better after the first week, or still have symptoms 4 weeks after the infection, see a doctor.
How long am I contagious with COVID-19?
You can pass COVID-19 on from about 2 days before symptoms start. Most people are no longer infectious after about 5 days, but some can spread it for up to 10 days. If you test positive, try to stay away from other people for 5 days and avoid anyone at higher risk for 10 days.
How can I tell if I have COVID-19, flu or a cold?
The symptoms overlap too much to tell them apart reliably. Flu tends to start suddenly with a high fever and aches, and a cold stays mostly in the nose and throat, but only a test confirms COVID-19. If an early rapid test is negative and you still feel unwell, test again a day or two later.
What helps COVID-19 go away?
Most people recover from COVID-19 at home within a week to 10 days with rest, plenty of fluids, and paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever and aches. Honey in a warm drink can ease a cough. Antibiotics do not help. If you are at higher risk of severe illness, an antiviral medicine started within 5 days of the first symptoms lowers the risk of becoming seriously ill.
Who can get antiviral treatment for COVID-19?
COVID-19 antiviral treatment is for adults at higher risk of severe illness who do not need oxygen, such as older people and people with a weakened immune system or a serious long-term condition. It has to start within 5 days of the first symptoms, and a doctor checks your other medicines first because of interactions.
Do antibiotics help COVID-19?
No. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and antibiotics only work against bacteria. They do not speed up recovery or prevent a chest infection, and are only used if a doctor finds signs of a bacterial infection on top of COVID-19.
What is long COVID?
Long COVID, or post COVID-19 condition, means symptoms such as extreme tiredness, breathlessness, brain fog and aching muscles that usually start within 3 months of the infection and last at least 2 months. About 6 in 100 people with COVID-19 develop it. Rehabilitation and pacing help many people, and a doctor can check for other causes and agree a recovery plan.
Can an online doctor prescribe COVID-19 treatment?
Yes, if you are eligible. After a video consultation, the doctor can prescribe a COVID-19 antiviral medicine if you are at higher risk of severe illness and your symptoms started within the last 5 days, after checking it against your other medicines. You can use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
When is COVID-19 an emergency?
With COVID-19, call 112 or go to an emergency department if you are struggling to breathe at rest or cannot speak in full sentences, have chest pain or pressure, feel confused or unusually drowsy, or your lips or skin look blue, grey or very pale.
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 27 November 2025.
- Post COVID-19 condition (long COVID) fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 2025.
- Factsheet for health professionals on COVID-19, ECDC, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, reviewed 30 May 2023.
- Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir: European public assessment report, European Medicines Agency, updated 13 July 2026.
- COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19 (NG191), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, reviewed 1 May 2025.
- COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 (NG188), NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, updated 11 November 2021.
- COVID-19 symptoms and what to do, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 21 March 2023.
- Do I have flu, COVID-19 or a cold? Know the signs and symptoms, UK Health Security Agency blog, 8 October 2025, updated September 2026.
- Testing for COVID-19, CDC, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 March 2025.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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