With soaring numbers of people with covid across the country it can be hard to avoid the virus at times. But with hay fever having similar symptoms to the coronavirus can you always tell the difference.
According the the Office for National Statistics (ONS) almost 4% of people in England had tested positive for coronavirus at the end of June. This was higher again elsewhere in the UK with Wales standing at 4.93%, Northern Ireland, 5.36%, and Scotland, 5.94%, reports the Liverpool Echo.
With the new BA.4 and BA.5 variants of the virus being the most infectious to date, there has also been a rise in the number of people being admitted to hospital. However with no national restrictions in place and little protection being taken by people on the streets, we are being told to live with the virus rather than hide away from it.
But what should you do if you think you might have the virus? Lateral flow tests, once handed out for nothing by the government, are no longer available free of charge for most people.
With the routine checks now a thing of the past, if you want to get them today they are available from pharmacies and other stores, but at a price. Some more vulnerable people, such as those in hospital or on certain treatments, can still get them free of charge but for most of us we have to pay.
In a bid to limit the spread of the virus, many of us are still taking regular LFTs, despite having to pay for them. But a huge group of people shouldn't take them unless told to by a medical professional, according to the latest government advice.
According to guidance on Gov.uk, children and young people aged 18 and under are "not recommended" to be tested for coronavirus "unless directed to by a health professional".
It also says children and young people should only stay at home "where they can" if they have a high temperature. "Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting", the latest advice says.
Anyone under the age of 19 who does test positive for covid should "try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for three days after the day they took the test, if they can".
This is considerably less time than the five days currently advised for adults who test positive. The Gov.uk site explains this is because "children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults".
For more information on what to do if you test positive for, or have symptoms of, covid click here.
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