I had COVID-19 about 20 days ago. It took me till now to recover.
The key signature is that (1) the symptoms come on slowly. So if you suddenly got sick, then it is not COVID-19. When you get it, first you think maybe you are coming down with something. The next day you think you may have common cold and if you don't get over it, then you will call the doctor. By the 3rd or 4th day, you are really sick (assuming you are one of the people who is affected, many don't feel it at all). (2) You will have shortness of breath and dry coughs. Cold and flu don't have shortness of breath.
Check for these two things before you worry.
It took me 3 weeks and I have recovered now. I am still not going around people to protect them. During the illness, I did not have body aches. What I did have was shortness of breath and soar throat (and later nonstop headache). Just going down the driveway and back could get me out of breath - and for the record, on a normal day I walk 12k steps, on an active day I do 20k+.
As I've said to people on other threads, there are a lot of overlaps with cold and flu symptoms and not all the symptoms are present in everyone. But there are two distinguishing marks that will help you decide. (1) The onset of the symptoms is gradual. Day 1 you feel a little unwell. Day 2 you think you maybe coming down with common cold. By Day 4 you know that you have to see a doctor. If you have flu on the other hand, you know you are sick right on the first day. This is of course assuming that you are affected. Many people don't feel it at all. (2) Shortness of breath, and often dry coughs. Flu and cold do not cause shortness of breath.
The combination of these 2 tells you if you should worry or not.
ST
PS I am in my early 50s.
