"There's no one particular symptom that's diagnostic of the coronavirus. It's a group of symptoms," Dr. Vyas said.

As a result, calling your health care provider to get advice - instead of heading for a visit in person, which risks exposure - is important.

Dr. Vyas points out that panic attack symptoms can be similar to those of a heart attack. So if a patient has certain conditions - a cardiac history, high blood pressure, excessive sweating or pain down their arm, neck and back - that can be cause for greater concern. She would encourage patients with cardiac risk factors who are experiencing these symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.