IS IT A COLD OR COVID?

Without a quick lateral flow test at hand, how can you tell if you’ve got Covid, flu or simply a common cold? It is very difficult, as most key symptoms overlap, particularly in fully vaccinated people who experience much milder forms of Covid-19.

While a sore throat is the most common symptom reported by those who have tested positive for the omicron strain, along with a cough, congestion, runny nose and fatigue, these symptoms can also be experienced in response to flu or a cold.

According to Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, the only tell-tale sign that it might be Covid-19, is if you suddenly lose your sense of smell. “Really the only key distinguisher, particularly with omicron, is the anosmia,” he says. “Everything else can be pretty similar.”

However, Clarke points out that it is still vitally important to try to avoid spreading Covid-19 to vulnerable groups of people. The elderly and frail may not have responded as well to the vaccines, while there are also those with immune deficiencies. “If you’re vulnerable to it because your immunity has waned, then potentially it can be a problem,” he says. “I think people need to treat colds as if they might be Covid.”

So while the Government may have ended mass testing, finding ways to live with Covid will not be quite so straightforward. Clarke anticipates that some people will buy their own private Covid tests from high street shops if they become unwell over the coming months.

He predicts that there will be a implications for office environments, such as a rise in people working from home, or taking sick days if they have any cold-like symptoms.