Purpose: assess GI symptoms in COVID‐19 and their association with short‐term outcomesDesign: diagnostic case‐control, retrospective studyRecruitment: adults who underwent nasopharyngeal swab testing for SARS‐CoV‐2 at outpatient settings: clinics or the ED, of New York‐Presbyterian‐Columbia or the medical centre's affiliates in New YorkSample size: 516 (278 cases)Inclusion criteria: adults ≥ 18 years of age who underwent nasopharyngeal swab testing for SARS‐CoV‐2. Indications for testing during this period were respiratory symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath) with intent to hospitalise or the same symptoms in essential personnel.Exclusion criteria: if insufficient data were available in the electronic medical record or if testing was performed during a pre‐existing inpatient admission