Publication
Symptoms of COVID-19 and how to protect yourself
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
If you have any common symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), self-isolate (stay in your room) and phone a GP immediately. Your GP will tell you if you need a free COVID-19 test.
Other people in your household will need to restrict their movements (stay at home).
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- a fever (high temperature - 38 degrees Celsius or above)
- a new cough - this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
- shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
- loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
You may not have all of these symptoms. It can take up to 14 days for symptoms to show. They can be similar to symptoms of cold and flu.
An early diagnosis from your GP means you can get the help you need and avoid spreading the virus, if you have it.
If you have symptoms, do not attend a vaccination appointment if you have one scheduled. You can call HSELive on 1850 24 1850 to request a new appointment date.
COVID-19 is spread through droplets that come from the nose or mouth of someone who has the virus.
To infect you, the virus has to get from an infected person's nose or mouth into your eyes, nose or mouth.
This can happen through close contact or through airborne spread. For example, if someone who has the virus coughs or sneezes near you, or is talking loud, singing or shouting.
It can also happen if you touch something they have been in contact with, such as an object or a surface, and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
It is important that you:
- wash your hands properly and often
- practise social distancing
- cover coughs and sneezes
- follow the advice on face coverings
- follow the current public health restrictions
Follow this advice as strictly as possible and encourage others to do this too.
COVID-19 can make anyone seriously ill. But for some people, the risk is higher. People at higher risk from COVID-19 should take extra care to protect themselves.
Washing your hands properly and often will help to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Use soap and water or alcohol hand sanitiser to clean your hands:
- after coughing or sneezing
- if you were in contact with someone who has a fever or respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing)
- before and after being on public transport, if you must use it
- before and after being in a crowd (especially an indoor crowd)
- when you arrive and leave buildings including your home or anyone else's home
- before having a cigarette or vaping
- even if your hands are not visibly dirty
- after toilet use
Keep your hands in good condition. Moisturise them often. Any basic product that is not perfumed or coloured is OK.
When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve. Put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands.
Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
Do not share objects that touch your mouth. For example: bottles or cups. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Social distancing is important to help slow the spread of COVID-19. It does this by minimising contact between people.
You should:
- keep a space of 2 metres (6.5 feet) between you and other people
- avoid communal sleeping areas
- avoid any crowded places
- not shake hands or make close contact with other people, if possible
There is very little risk if you are just passing someone. But try to keep a distance of 2 metres as much as possible.
Try to avoid places where you cannot keep 2 metres apart from other people. If you are in a public place where it is difficult to keep 2 metres away from others, wear a face covering.
Wear a face covering on public transport, in shops and other indoor settings. This is the law. You may be fined or refused entry if you do not wear one.
You should also wear a face covering in crowded workplaces, places of worship and in busy outdoor spaces where a lot of people gather.
The virus spreads easiest indoors, especially in places where there is poor ventilation. If there is no fresh air to move the virus away, it will stay in the air or land on surfaces.
The virus is like smoke, in this way - if a window or door is not open, the virus cannot leave a room. The longer you spend in that room, the more chance you might inhale the virus, if it is in the air.
No visitors are allowed inside your home except for:
- essential family reasons
- people in your support bubble
There is different advice for people who are fully vaccinated.
If you have to meet with someone indoors, you should both wear a face covering.
In your garden, you can meet:
- up to 3 households, or
- 6 people from multiple households
This limit of 6 people does not include children aged 12 or younger.
If you are fully vaccinated you can meet indoors with:
- other fully vaccinated people as long as there are no more than 3 households present
- unvaccinated people from 1 household as long as they are not at high risk from COVID-19 of severe illness and no more than 3 households are present
People who are living alone or parenting alone can pair with one other household for support. This is called a 'support bubble'.
You can visit the home of those in your support bubble and they can visit your home. You can also meet outdoors and in places other than the home.
If you have visitors to your home, ask them to clean their hands when they arrive. After they leave, clean surfaces they have been in contact with. Use your usual household cleaning agents and detergents.
Do not wear disposable gloves instead of washing your hands. The virus gets on them in the same way it gets on your hands. Also, your hands can get contaminated when you take them off.
Wear a face covering when visiting people aged 70 or over, or other people at higher risk from COVID-19.
You should not meet someone else if you:
- have any symptoms of COVID-19
- have been told by contact tracers that you are a close contact
Check with people before you meet them to make sure they are symptom-free and feeling well.
Walk or cycle instead of using public transport, if you can.
Avoid sharing vehicles with people outside your household. Wear a face covering if you do.
Work from home. Only essential workers should go to their workplace.
Face coverings are recommended in crowded workplaces.
Follow social distancing advice everywhere outside the home. This includes your workplace.
Contact the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) by emailing wcu@hsa.ie or phoning 1890 289 389 if you are:
- worried about how your workplace is responding to social distancing or other measures
- an employer and want advice on COVID-19 prevention measures in the workplace
If you are going back to your workplace, read information about returning to work safely.
The most common way you can get COVID-19 is by coming into close contact with someone who has the virus. You can spread the virus even if you do not have symptoms.
COVID-19 is mainly spread through close contact and droplets that come from your nose and mouth. For example, from someone who is talking loud, singing, shouting, coughing or sneezing.
This happens when people are within 1 to 2 metres of each other.
That's why keeping a 2 metre distance from other people is an important way of reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Airborne transmission is the spread of a virus in very tiny water particles, known as aerosols. This can happen over a longer distance than droplets, such as across a room.
COVID-19 can spread easily in crowded or poorly ventilated areas.
To protect against airborne transmission, keep indoor spaces aired out (ventilated) by opening windows and doors when possible. This reduces the risk of infected air building up in a room, corridor or stairwell.
It's much safer to meet people outdoors than indoors, even if you keep more than 2 metres apart indoors.
Avoid crowded or stuffy places as much as possible. Leave a location if it becomes crowded.
You can also get the virus from infected surfaces. For example, when someone who has the virus sneezes or coughs, droplets with the virus can fall onto surfaces around them.
If you touch that surface and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, you could become infected too.
Getting COVID-19 from surfaces is not as common as getting it through close contact with someone who has the virus. But it's still important to wash your hands properly and often.
Using common household disinfectants will kill the virus on surfaces.
Wearing a face covering will protect you and others. But you should still do the important things needed to prevent the spread of the virus.
These include:
- social distancing
- covering coughs and sneezes
- washing your hands properly
- not touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
- following the current public health restrictions
Access the Irish Remote Interpreting Service (IRIS).
Infectious disease pandemics like COVID-19 can be worrying. This can affect your mental health. But there are many things you can do to mind your mental health during times like this.
If you need to talk to someone right now, free call Samaritans at 116 123.
We have developed public health advice posters that are available for you to download and display in a range of settings.
We have also developed Stay Safe guidelines to help you measure and maintain distance in different settings.
