Covid-19 is a new infectious disease that continues to wreak havoc across the globe. We don’t know much about it yet. What we do know, however, is that fever often presents as one of its primary symptoms. An elevated temperature is usually a sign that your body is fighting an infection or illness. But it is also a symptom for dozens of other illnesses. So how do we know if a particular fever is from a COVID infection or from other common ailments like the common cold or flu?
This post unpacks the basic info you need to know when it comes to Covid 19 and its fever temperature range.
Understanding Fever as a Symptom
Fever is when your body’s temperature rises above normal levels. Fever is usually a symptom of an infection, and it’s the body’s immune response to fight the cause of the illness.
Our body temperature’s normal range is 98-100℉ (36-37℃). If your body temperature rises above that range, then you have a fever. Usually, a fever will resolve on its own. However, if a person’s body temperature gets too high, it might be a sign of severe infection. In cases like these, it’s best to seek medical attention.
Fever and Covid-19
Fever can be caused by many infections. Thus, having a fever doesn’t necessarily mean it’s caused by Covid. Also, not everyone who gets infected with Covid-19 will experience fever as a symptom. They may experience other common symptoms without the fever. In addition, some people may get infected with Covid and not manifest any symptoms at all, but they can still spread the virus to others.
Although having a fever is not a sure way to know if you have Covid, it’s still one of the common symptoms. Since Covid-19 spreads easily compared to the flu and causes more severe illness in some people, precautions have to be set.
It’s best to take all the necessary precautions to halt the transmission of the virus, especially when people are displaying Covid’s common symptoms. That way, we can prevent the virus from reaching the most vulnerable people in the population, such as the elderly, the children, and the immunocompromised.
For this reason, even if the person has a fever but we’re not entirely sure that it’s due to Covid, it’s best to isolate the individual immediately since the virus spreads quickly.
Fever Temperature Range of Covid-19
Covid-19 is still a new viral infection and what the specialists know about it is what they discover as the pandemic progresses. Although fever is a common symptom of the infection, there is no definite temperature range for fever caused by Covid.
When infected with Covid, some people run a fever while others don’t. According to research, out of the 24,410 adults who tested positive for Covid-19, only 78% of them developed a fever.
There is a meta-analysis that involved adults and children who tested positive for Covid-19. According to the study, out of the 17,142 adults who were infected, only 79.43% displayed fever as a symptom. On the other hand, out of the 373 pediatric patients who were Covid positive, only 45.86% of them had a fever.
The results of these studies show that although a high percentage of Covid-19 patients had a fever, there are still quite a few who didn’t have fever as a symptom. Based on these results, a fever is a common symptom of Covid, and isolating people with fever is a practical approach to curbing the virus’ transmission. However, the only way to know for sure is to have the person tested.
Other Possible Symptoms
Covid-19 also has other possible symptoms aside from having a fever. People who contracted the virus have reported a wide range of symptoms. The degree of their symptoms also ranged from mild to severe. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
Covid-19 symptoms usually manifest two to fourteen days after an individual is exposed to the virus. Individuals who present with these symptoms (aside from fever) may have Covid:
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Headache
- Body or muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Runny nose
- Loss of taste or smell
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
The Importance of Thermal Cameras in Detecting COVID Patients
After the world shut down due to the pandemic, we are now in the process of reopening facilities and workplaces amid the threat of Covid. The safe reopening of workplaces is one of the challenges of employers today. So, protocols and precautions must be put into place to ensure the safety of the workforce.
One way to do this is to screen employees for the common symptoms of Covid. Since fever is usually the most common and at the top of the list of symptoms, it’s reasonable that employers monitor the temperature of their employees constantly. That way, possible carriers of the virus can be quickly isolated and prevent the transmission of the virus in the workplace.
Thermal cameras are part of the solution during this pandemic era since they help address the shortages in temperature measurement devices. Employers can benefit from thermal cameras since they have notable advantages over thermometers.
Thermal imaging systems work by picking up heat emitted by an object or a person. With thermal cameras, there’s no need to be physically near the employee just to check their temperature. That also eliminates the need for personal protective equipment (PPE).
Thermal cameras can measure a person’s temperature faster than a digital hand-held thermometer. Also, they are more accurate at measuring body temperature compared to other temperature measurement products.
Final Thoughts
Common Covid-19 symptoms like fever can help us screen people who are possibly infected with the virus. Although not definitive, knowing if a person has a fever with the help of a thermal imaging system, for instance, can help employers in safely reopening their workplace. Covid spreads quickly and may cause severe illness to some, so curbing its transmission is one way of keeping everyone in the workplace safe.
Keep your employees safe for a productive and happy workforce with Well Health Works. Experience our corporate wellness solutions and Covid-19 employee testing services, so your employees are assured that their company takes care of them. Call us now at 833-935-9355 or send us an email at info@wellhealthworks.com.
