As the Covid-19 virus continues to spread and mutate, the symptoms of an infection may look much more different now than they did at the beginning of the pandemic.
An expert has suggested that new data has revealed that a high number of cases begins with a sore throat. Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of the King's College ZOE symptom tracker app noted that "Covid starts in two-thirds of people with a sore throat".
According to the ZOE study's most up-to-date data, approximately 0.3 per cent of Brits are currently suffering from a cold while only 0.1 per cent are fighting Covid. This is a significantly lower figure than the ones seen two years ago.
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Prof Spector added: "Fever and loss of smell are really rare now – so many old people may not think they’ve got Covid and would say it’s a cold and not be tested.” While the infection numbers are promising, the similarity in a cold and Covid sore throat may make some people think twice before getting a test.
Therefore, it's important to look at the key symptoms to help you differentiate between common cold and Covid symptoms.
A sore throat from Covid infection
Professor Denis Kinane, a highly-regarded immunologist and founder at Cignpost Diagnostics, told the Daily Mirror : "It is hard to differentiate between Covid and a cold if all you have is a sore throat, but you can easily test yourself as well as watching out for other symptoms.
"As most people know by now, a sore throat from Covid is more or less similar to any other throat infection. But when you get Covid, you can also experience pain and scratchiness, especially while swallowing something.
"In many cases, patients additionally feel dryness and irritation which could be an outcome of inflammation in the back of your throat, which can be very discomforting.”
According to Prof Kinane, these are some of the biggest differences between a sore throat from Covid and a common cold:
- Covid sore throat usually appears in the first week of illness and can improve quite quickly.
- Compared to other sore throats, when it is caused by Covid, it feels worse on the first day of infection but gets better on each following day.
- A sore throat lasts no more than five days, and it is usually mild.
- Anyone who suffers from sore throat for over five days should get themselves tested for some other illness.
Tips for treating a sore throat
Prof Kinane adds: "Sore throats caused by a cold are very common and usually nothing to worry about,” adds Prof Kinane. "They normally get better by themselves within a week.”
When it comes to symptoms and changes that should prompt a visit to your GP, Kinane adds:
- If your sore throat does not improve after a week
- You often get sore throats
- You're worried about your sore throat
- You have a sore throat and a very high temperature, or you feel hot and shivery
- You have a weakened immune system – for example, because of diabetes or chemotherapy.
When asked how to remedy a sore throat quickly, Prof Kinane advised:
- Gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat cool or soft foods
- Digest honey
- Avoid smoking or smoky places
- Suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets – but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
- Rest
You can ask a pharmacist about ways of relieving the pain and discomfort of a sore throat, such as:
- OTC medication including paracetamol or ibuprofen
- Medicated lozenges containing a local anaesthetic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory medicine
- Anaesthetic spray (although there's little proof they help).
“If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better,” the expert concluded.
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