Your guide to COVID-19

People with COVID-19 may have mild to severe symptoms, including fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms may include chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and loss of smell or taste. While patient information shows most cases are mild, symptoms tend to be more severe in older adults and people with chronic conditions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against potentially serious illness this fall and winter. 

It’s especially important to get vaccinated if you’re at high risk for complications from COVID-19. Older people and those with weakened immune systems have a greater risk for hospitalization and even death from the virus. However, even healthy children and adults can get seriously ill from COVID-19.

Learn more about the vaccine.

Paxlovid is a treatment for people who have an active COVID-19 infection and are at high risk for serious illness. It’s available by prescription at Kaiser Permanente pharmacies. Your care team may recommend it if:

• You’re 12 or older
• You’ve recently tested positive for COVID-19
• Your symptoms started within the last 5 days
• You have health conditions that put you at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19

For some people, Paxlovid may have 2 mild side effects: a metallic taste in the mouth and diarrhea. These side effects will go away once you’ve finished taking Paxlovid. Also, your care team will check what medications you’re taking and determine if any of them need to be held or have dosing changed while you are taking Paxlovid.