COVID-19 Health Resources
Accurate medical information about COVID-19, testing and what to do if you get sick.
Symptoms
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. Learn more about symptoms.
- Fever or chills.
- Cough.
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- Sore throat.
- Congestion or runny nose.
- New loss of taste or smell.
- Fatigue.
- Muscle or body aches.
- Headache.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
Different strategies are recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. If you have symptoms, stay home and test immediately. Find testing information and options.
What to do when you are sick
If you notice you have any of the symptoms listed above, stay home and away from others. Wear a mask and test for COVID-19. Normal activities can be resumed after your symptoms improve and 24 hours have passed without a fever or use of medication to reduce fever.
For the first 5 days after experiencing no symptoms, use multiple prevention strategies to stop the spread of the virus. Ways to stop the spread of respiratory viruses include:
- Stay up to date with vaccinations to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization and death. This includes flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines.
- Test for respiratory viruses.
- Wear a mask if you have symptoms (see below for more information).
- Find COVID treatment options.
- Distance yourself from others.
- Practice good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands often and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
- Take steps for cleaner air, such as purifying indoor air, bringing in more fresh air or gathering outdoors.
Learn more about the latest Respiratory virus guidance (PDF).
Masks
Anyone can mask at any time. Masks filter particles and block droplets when you breathe, talk, sing, cough or exhale. Wearing a respirator or mask reduces the number of germs that you exhale into the environment around you. It's recommended that people should wear a mask if any of these apply:
- Anyone experiencing respiratory symptoms (coughing, sore throat, sneezing, etc.).
- Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test.
- Anyone at high risk for severe illness.
Masks also protect from particles like smoke, air pollution, mold and droplets from other people's breath in the air you breathe in. Masks do not filter out harmful gases and vapors such as carbon monoxide or gasoline. It is important to consider the level of filtration and fit when choosing a respirator or mask.
Mask use and effectiveness
- Recommendations on when to wear a mask - MDH
- Your guide to masks - CDC
- How to wear your N95 - CDC
Long COVID
Long COVID (also known as post-COVID) is when people experience ongoing symptoms for four or more weeks after being infected with the COVID-19 virus. The signs and symptoms can be new, returning or ongoing. They can last for months and range from mild to severe.
Who can get long COVID?
Anyone who has tested positive with the COVID-19 virus can develop long COVID, including children. Long COVID is more common in people who experienced severe illness, but it can also happen to people who had no symptoms or only mild symptoms. Vaccinated people have a lower risk of developing long COVID, no matter when they test positive for COVID-19.
Symptoms
There is no test that can diagnose long COVID, so understanding your symptoms is very important. Long COVID symptoms are different from person to person. Each person may have different combinations of symptoms. Talk to a health care provider if you are not feeling well and your symptoms are interrupting daily life. Learn more about long COVID symptoms.
Treatment and help
Health professionals are studying long COVID to better understand the cause and find effective treatments. If you have symptoms of long COVID, medical and social support may be available to you. Learn more about long COVID support options.
Not able to work because of long COVID?
MN RETAIN is a new program that helps workers who are not working because of an injury or illness. The program provides resources so employees can stay at work or return to work as soon as they are feeling better.
- Call 507-284-4537.
- Learn more at mnretain.com.
- MN RETAIN flyer.
Fact sheets by topic
The following fact sheets are available in PDF format.
Vaccines
Vaccines and children
Vaccines and pregnancy
Medications for COVID-19
Disability resources
- COVID-19 Vaccine For Youth with Special Needs or Disabilities
- Disabilities and Unique Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic - MDH
- American Sign Language video series: COVID-19 - CDC
Holidays
- Ramadan and the COVID-19 vaccine - MDH
- COVID-19 Awareness Message on Ramadan (video)
- Eid Safety - English (PDF)
- Eid Safety - Somali (PDF)
- Eid Safety - Oromo (PDF)
Masks
Prevention
Additional resources
Help paying for COVID-19 funerals
The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025 to those who have lost loved ones due to the pandemic.
If you are paying for a COVID-19 funeral, FEMA may be able to help. You may qualify for up to $9,000 per funeral. Call FEMA’s COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline at 1-844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585).