COVID-19 is a global pandemic caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has infected more than 250 million people and caused more than 5 million deaths worldwide. Early detection and diagnosis of COVID-19 are crucial for preventing the spread of the virus and providing timely treatment to the patients. However, the current diagnostic methods, such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and antigen tests, have limitations in terms of sensitivity, specificity, cost, time, and availability. Spectroscopy is a promising alternative technique that can offer rapid, non-invasive, low-cost, and accurate detection of COVID-19 based on the analysis of molecular vibrations or interactions with electromagnetic radiation. In this review, we summarize the recent advances and applications of various spectroscopic methods for COVID-19 detection, including Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. We also discuss the challenges and future perspectives of spectroscopy as a flexible sensing method for the quick and cost-effective detection of COVID-19.