Could it be COVID? Here are the symptoms to watch out for in 2024

COVID-19 symptoms can be mild, severe, or nonexistent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—and can appear as late as two weeks after you’ve been exposed to the virus. (Credit: Charday Penn—Getty Images)

I was sure it was just a summer cold. I’d developed a sore throat one evening in late July, halfway through my family vacation. Next morning came the headache and runny nose. By the trip’s end, I felt a bone-deep exhaustion at odds with the week of seaside relaxation I’d just enjoyed.

I’d had a rough bout of COVID in 2022—to the point of requiring chest X-rays, and being prescribed a steroid and an inhaler—and this latest illness didn’t feel nearly as severe. I’d worn a mask during air travel and was up to date on my vaccinations. Only when my symptoms had not only failed to improve but also worsened after nearly a week of taking over-the-counter cold medicine did I consider it could be COVID after all.