Symptoms include:
- a high temperature of more than 37.8C (100F) or shivering (cold) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new and persistent cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
Emergency warning signs
If you develop any of the following emergency warning signs for COVID-19 please seek medical attention immediately by calling 999.
Emergency warning signs include*:
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- new confusion or inability to rouse
- bluish lips or face
*This list is not exhaustive.
Please consult your GP or MEDS out of hours service for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.
When to have a test?
If you experience any of the symptoms above, you are encouraged to take a lateral flow test.
If you test positive you are encouraged to report the result online – this helps us monitor the level of COVID-19 infection on Island.
Find out what to do if you test positive.
As part of the island’s endemic approach to living with the virus, Manx Care ceased delivering COVID-19 PCR testing on 31 August 2022. We’re still encouraging people to stay away from all Manx Care premises if they are displaying any symptoms of the virus.
How to get a test?
LFTs can be purchased from local pharmacies and some other retailers.
An eligibility criteria has been introduced for free LFTs. Anyone who is not eligible for free tests will be able to purchase them from local pharmacies.
The three eligible categories for free LFTs are
- Health and Social Care staff
- patients with a planned hospital admission
- anyone considered at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19 infection
You will be considered as high risk if you are eligible for anti-viral treatment. If you suffer from a condition on the list then you can contact your GP who will provide you with a letter confirming eligibility.