← Health · Breathing & lungs
General health information, not a diagnosis. In an emergency, call 102. Always consult a qualified health professional.
**SmartAnalysis of COVID-19**
**What it is:**
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people have mild illness, but it can be serious for older people and those with other conditions.
**Symptoms:**
Fever, cough, tiredness, sore throat, body aches, and loss of taste or smell. Symptoms can range from none to severe.
**Causes & Spread:**
Spreads mainly through the air in droplets and aerosols when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes.
**Home Care:**
Rest, fluids, and paracetamol for fever if advised. Isolate from others, wear a mask, and keep rooms ventilated. Monitor your breathing and oxygen if you can.
**When to See a Doctor:**
Seek care for difficulty breathing, a low oxygen reading, chest pain, or confusion — and early if you are older or have diabetes, heart, lung, or kidney disease.
**Prevention:**
Vaccination, ventilation, masks in crowded indoor spaces, and hand hygiene reduce spread.
**Nepal Notes:**
Vaccines are provided through Nepal's immunisation programme; check with your local health office for current guidance.
**Red-flag / Emergency Signs:**
Difficulty breathing or breathlessness at rest; blue lips, chest pain, or confusion; oxygen level below 94% on a pulse oximeter.
**Recommended Vaccines:**
- For adults aged 50 to 64:
- Tdap once, then Td or Tdap booster
- Shingles vaccine (recombinant, RZV)
- Pneumococcal vaccine, age 50+
- Hepatitis B vaccine
- For adults aged 65 to older:
- Tdap once, then Td or Tdap booster
- Shingles vaccine (recombinant, RZV)
- Pneumococcal vaccine, age 50+
- RSV vaccine
**COVID-19 Vaccine (CDC):**
- Per current CDC schedule (recommendations changed in 2025; check cdc.gov)
- Age 6 months and older
- Vaccine: Everyone, age 6 months and older
- What and how often: Per current CDC schedule (recommendations changed in 2025; check cdc.gov)
- Evidence: CDC Per schedule (2025-10-01)
**COVID-19 Testing:**
- COVID-19 Testing
- COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2
- There are two types of tests for this virus:
- A viral test tells you if you have a current infection
- Viral tests can either be rapid tests or laboratory tests
- Rapid tests can be done in minutes
- They are often antigen tests, which look for specific proteins from the virus
- Some rapid tests are self-tests which you can do at home
- Laboratory tests can take days to complete and include PCR tests
- An antibody (serology) test might tell you if you had a past infection
- If you need a COVID-19 test, check medlineplus.gov/n
Sources: World Health Organization · Nepal MoHP — Epidemiology and Disease Control Division · CDC, USPSTF · CDC · MedlinePlus (NLM)
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people have mild illness, but it can be serious for older people and those with other conditions.
Sources: World Health Organization
Fever, cough, tiredness, sore throat, body aches and loss of taste or smell. Symptoms can range from none to severe.
Sources: World Health Organization
Spreads mainly through the air in droplets and aerosols when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes.
Sources: World Health Organization
Rest, fluids and paracetamol for fever if advised. Isolate from others, wear a mask and keep rooms ventilated. Monitor your breathing and oxygen if you can.
Sources: World Health Organization
Seek care for difficulty breathing, a low oxygen reading, chest pain, or confusion — and early if you are older or have diabetes, heart, lung or kidney disease.
Sources: World Health Organization
Vaccination, ventilation, masks in crowded indoor spaces and hand hygiene reduce spread.
Sources: World Health Organization
Vaccines are provided through Nepal's immunisation programme; check with your local health office for current guidance.
Sources: Nepal MoHP — Epidemiology and Disease Control Division
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