Cold Symptoms VS Coronavirus Symptoms 

Before the pandemic, if you had a sniffle and a headache, you could have disregarded it as a regular cold and gone about your business as usual, even if you felt a little rough around the edges. But how can you be sure it's a cold and not Covid-19 during this cold and flu season? 

You can't do it without a test, is the core premise. Because, while a headache, sore throat, and runny nose are all common cold symptoms, they are now also some of the most serious ones. 

On Thursday, December 23, researchers behind the ZOE Covid Study suggested that those with a sore throat, runny nose, and headache - all symptoms of a common cold - are most likely carrying the Omicron form. The infection can cause pneumonia, renal failure, and, in the worst-case scenario, death. 

Covid's effects show two to fourteen days after exposure, while most people's common cold symptoms peak within the first two to three days of illness. 

Headache 

Despite the fact that headaches are a lesser-known symptom of Covid, according to the ZOE study, they are one of the earliest signs and are more common than cough, fever, and loss of smell. 

According to the study, Covid headaches are moderate to highly painful, can be "pulsing," "pressing," or "stabbing," occur on both sides of the head rather than in one location, last more than three days, and are resistant to standard treatments. 

A runny nose 

According to the ZOE study, a runny nose was the second most commonly reported symptom after headaches, with nearly 60% of patients who tested positive for Covid and reported a loss of smell also having a runny nose. 

The incidence of the condition, however, is definitely the most crucial component, according to the research. As a result, when Covid levels are high, so are the chances of a runny nose. 

According to the study, when Covid rates are low, a runny nose is less likely to indicate that a person has contracted the coronavirus and is more likely to be caused by a cold or even an allergy. While many people with Covid have a runny nose, the study found that it is difficult to classify it as a distinct symptom because it occurs so frequently, especially in the winter. 

Sneezing 

According to the ZOE study, sneezing more than usual in persons who have been vaccinated can be an indication of Covid, while it emphasises that sneezing is much more likely to indicate the presence of a cold or an allergy 

Despite the fact that many people with Covid sneeze, it says, "Sneezing is not a conclusive indicator because sneezing is so frequent." 

Inflammation of the throat 

Several Covid patients have reported having a sore throat that feels like a cold or laryngitis, according to the ZOE app. 

Covid-related sore throats are normally mild and last five days or less, but if yours is severe and lasts longer, it's most likely something else. If the problem persists, you should consult your doctor. Although a sore throat may be a sign of Covid, the majority of people who have a sore throat are simply suffering from a cold. 

According to ZOE's data, roughly half of people infected with Covid suffer from a sore throat, though this is more common in adults aged 18 to 65 than in the elderly or children under the age of 18. 

A decrease in odour 

This remains the most dependable sign of Covid infection, regardless of a person's age, sex, or severity of sickness. While the sense of smell in patients with Covid's disease may not go away totally, it may shift, making it harder to notice strongly scented things. Your sense of taste may also be altered, resulting in strange or bland foods. 

There's a cough that won't go away

A chronic cough is one of the three main symptoms of Covid, albeit only roughly four out of ten people infected with the virus would experience it, according to the ZOE study. In this case, "persistent" denotes coughing several times a day, "for half a day or more." 

A dry Covid cough is different from a chesty cough, which produces phlegm or mucus and may indicate a bacterial infection. A persistent cough begins a few days after the commencement of the disease and lasts four to five days. 

Take Away

According to the ZOE study, the top symptoms of participants who only had one dosage of the vaccine were similar to those of people who had been double-jabbed, but the coughing was also common. Those who had not been vaccinated had similar symptoms, plus fever and a cough. If you have any of the symptoms, you should stay at home and get a PCR Covid test as soon as feasible.