Since December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread rapidly from China to more than 200 countries worldwide. Many of the infected individuals, including children, are asymptomatic or present mild to moderate symptoms, hindering disease control efforts. Most of the published data to date describes the clinical course of hospitalized patients; however, knowledge regarding milder cases, which do not require medical care, is missing.
We analyze data from electronic health records (EHRs), which include results of SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing, primary care visits, and a longitudinal self-reported symptom survey. We compare the symptoms presented by individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2 and have a record of a primary care visit. We also include data obtained by large national surveys where symptoms are described by survey responders.
As the pandemic progresses, we continue to study the symptoms and the clinical course of mild cases of COVID-19 to facilitate early testing and to minimize its spread.
