COVID Symptoms, Prevention & Treatments Update

“Over the years, we’ve made improvements to help protect against viruses, like COVID. We need to continue to follow best practices to reduce our risk,” said Erica Kaufman West, MD, an infectious diseases expert at Franciscan Health.

Key Takeaways: COVID-19 Prevention 

• COVID-19 symptoms have changed over time. Sinus pressure, headaches and sore throats are now more common than the severe respiratory symptoms seen earlier in the pandemic, and loss of taste and smell is far less common.
• Several major medical associations have released recommendations for flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations for the 2026-2027 season.
• Oral antiviral treatments are effective against current variants and are an important tool for reducing severe illness, especially for those at higher risk.

2026-2027 Vaccination Recommendations

Several major medical associations today announced guidelines encouraging Americans to continue to be immunized against respiratory viruses. People who keep their vaccinations up to date are at a reduced risk of having severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Family Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America today issued guidelines recommending Americans continue to get immunized.

COVID-19 vaccination recommendations

COVID-19 vaccination recommendations from medical specialty societies: 

• Infants and children ages 6 through 23 months of age who do not have contraindications should receive 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccine, according to the AAP guidelines.
• For ages 2 to 18, the AAP recommends a single dose of age-appropriate 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccine for all children and adolescents 2 through 18 years of age at increased risk of severe COVID-19 or whose parent or guardian desires their protection from COVID-19.
• All adults ages 19-64 are recommended to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine, according to the AAFP.
• ACOG recommends that pregnant women receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine.
• Adults 65 and older are recommended to receive two doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine, spaced about six months apart.
• People with moderate to severe immune system challenges such as organ recipients may be eligible for additional doses of the current COVID-19 vaccine, in consultation with their healthcare provider.

Recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026-2027 season have not been released by the CDC. The CDC had previously advised getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine — available from Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax or Moderna (which now offers two formulations, Spikevax and mNexspike) — to safeguard against severe COVID-19 effects. Under those recommendations, most people 5–64 need one dose, adults 65+ and those with immunocompromising conditions can talk to their doctors about the need for a vaccine every six months. Children under 5 can only receive Moderna's Spikevax.

Other COVID-19 Prevention Strategies

The CDC recommends preventive measures to slow the spread of viruses such as COVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). These measures continue to be essential in reducing the spread of viruses.

Practice good hygiene

“Keeping those germs away from other people is the best prevention anybody could offer,” Dr. Kaufman West said. “Washing your hands regularly, covering your cough and cleaning frequently touched surfaces is very important.”

Keep the air quality healthy

One of the CDC’s core prevention strategies is to ensure you surround yourself with clean air. Let in fresh outside air, use air purifying devices with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) and, when possible, gather outdoors.

Stay home when sick

“One of the biggest things you can do when you are sick is to stay home and not go to work,” Dr. Kaufman West said. “There is a shift in the perception of calling in sick. Today, businesses understand that staying home when sick is the right thing to do.”

Build Your Immune System

“There are things that we all know but often we push to the wayside when we are busy, and those are things like good nutrition, sleeping for eight hours a night and spending 20 minutes exercising every day,” Dr. Kaufman West said. “Those are things that build up the immune system and are ways we can be more proactive as opposed to reactive and take care of ourselves.”

Additional prevention strategies from the CDC include:

• Wearing a mask if you are sick to help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission
• Putting physical distance between yourself and others, and avoiding being near someone who is ill
• When feeling sick, use the at-home tests available at your local pharmacy or talk to your provider about getting tested for COVID-19, the flu or RSV

Changing Symptoms Of COVID-19

The symptoms of COVID-19 have evolved, leading us to experience the virus differently. Dr. Kaufman West has observed that newer variants of the virus tend to affect the upper part of the respiratory system.

“This means people are more likely to experience symptoms like sinus pressure, headaches and sore throats instead of the severe chest and breathing problems more common earlier in the pandemic,” she said.

Another noticeable change is that fewer people report loss of taste and smell when they get sick with COVID-19.

“In the beginning, before testing, that was how many people knew they had COVID-19. The loss of taste and smell is not the predominant complaint anymore.”

These shifts in symptoms suggest the virus has changed its behavior. While the reasons behind these changes are complex and tied to how viruses mutate over time, they reflect the dynamic nature of COVID-19.

Fortunately, despite these changes, the number of people needing hospital care for COVID-19 has greatly decreased. Several factors may contribute to this reduction, including the broader availability of vaccines, improvements in treatment options and the population’s increasing immunity, whether through vaccination or previous infections. 

Treating COVID-19 Infections

An essential development in treating COVID-19 is the availability of oral antiviral medications. These oral treatments are effective, particularly for people at high risk of severe illness.

“We have the IV medication for hospitalized patients, and that’s been there for a long time. Now we have pills and two different oral antiviral medications we can give to patients with COVID-19,” Dr. Kaufman West said. “Both treatments seem effective against new variants, maybe a little less effective, but still very good for preventing death.”

If you are at high risk for complications or severe illness and you test positive for COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. They can guide you to the most appropriate treatment option for your situation.