How fast do Covid symptoms take to appear (if you get symptoms, that is)

[SkepticalCat]

I know that the incubation period is something like 5-14 days, but how quickly might someone start to feel ill with symptoms?

For example, one of the things with influenza is that symptoms appear in individuals very quickly; it is often described as feeling fine one moment, then being completely incapacitated the next.

Is it the same with Covid? Or are Covid symptoms more of a 'slow burn?

You've answered your own question in terms of when

In terms if severity, there is no clear pattern. Some people start mild, stay mild. Some people start mild, get worse. Some people go downhill rapidly. For some onset is gradual, for others very sudden.

Ime things that make coronavirus different from other viruses are:

Having a huge range of symptoms as one illness, including some really weird ones eg pins and needles, sore eyes, losing your sense of smell

Being worse in the second week than the first.

But these^^ dont apply to everyone, or even most people.

I've had it twice now. The first time was awful and like nothing I've ever had before. Second time was mild and like a cold (with some burning skin which is my cv signature symptom).

Oh, just thought of another one: it's quite typical with cv for symptoms to come in waves or cycles. So my throat would start hurting, then it would really hurt for hours, then the pain would just "disappear". And the next say the same. Very different to a normal sore throat.