COVID may cause a unique type of sore throat to other common bugs, an expert has said.
Researchers are keen to learn more about the symptoms of coronavirus.
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A sore throat is not listed by the NHS as a main Covid symptom – only a cough, high temperature and loss of smell/taste is.
The ZOE Covid Symptom Study App has shown that sore throat is a common symptom, both in vaccinated as well as unvaccinated patients.
Tim Spector, the leading researcher on the study, presented a YouTube video in which he asked viewers to report exactly how their sore throat feels.
He said: “We are getting a messages that the sore throat people are getting with Covid is a bit unusual, it’s not like they’ve seen it before.
“Maybe in a different place, or it feels differently.
“We might be doing some more research on that to see if we can distinguish these Covid type symptoms from the ones of a normal cold virus.”
Among the thousands of comments, some people said that their sore throat had been dry, rather than sore, as well as “scratchy” or “itchy”.
Some people noticed that their tonsils were becoming larger and more reddened.
Another said: “Id had sore throats in the past but this was the worst I had every experienced. The pain was so bad it woke me up and I felt I was dying. I don’t want to be over dramatic but it was horrible [sic].”
Is it a Covid sore throat or a cold?
ZOE data suggests that nearly half of those with Covid have experienced a sore throat.
According to the study that analyzed data from millions of users of the app, mild sore throats tend to appear within the first week and last for no more than five day.
“It feels worse on the first day of infection but gets better on each following day,” According to the website.
Covid may not cause a sore or sore throat, according to this website.
A doctor should be consulted if the sore throat lasts more than five consecutive days.
The other symptoms may also be a factor in determining if the sore throat is due to Covid or the common cold.
“Having a sore throat together with loss of smell (anosmia) is more likely to be Covid-19 than a regular cold”Researchers agree.
A common cold can also cause loss of taste or smell, according to the NHS.
Covid, according to the app, is starting to look more like a cold.
Symptoms of Covid and a cold
COVID
According to the ZOE Covid Symptom Study app, the most common signs of Covid right now are:
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Loss of smell
The NHS says the main symptoms of the virus are:
- A high temperature
- A new, continuous cough
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
COMMON COLD
The NHS lists says a common cold can cause:
- A blocked or runny nose
- A sore throat
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Coughs
- Sneezing
- A raised temperature
- Pressure in your ears and face
- Loss of taste and smell
In vaccinated people – the majority of the UK population – the top symptom people with Covid have reported is a runny nose (77 per cent).
Next is a headache (74%), sneezing (67%), sore neck (52%), loss of smell (52%).
ZOE’s study has called for the Government of Canada to adjust its main Covid symptoms to include signs such as sore throats.
Only half of those affected by Covid have the three classic symptoms.
Only loss of sense of smell is listed on the NHS symptom listing – thanks to campaigns from the ZOE App in early 2020.
Regional picture
In Prof Spector’s update this week, he said that it was good news that symptomatic Covid cases appear to have come down slightly, from 51,900 last week to 47,300 this week.
He warned that there are areas in the UK at greater risk from severe NHS pressure.
This study analyzed which areas of the UK were at greatest risk due to their lower NHS hospital capacity.
The South East is in the second worst place, followed by Midlands. It wouldn’t take much in terms of growth for it to start struggling, Prof Spector said.
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He said: “We’ve heard about Scotland having problems in the last few weeks, with many hospitals being full.
“We’ve started estimating what the capacities are across the country, and what level cases would need to get to when hospitals get overrun.
“Groups from the government have been suggesting that the likelihood of admissions doubling in next month is quite high.
“As we start to project that out, we start to get some nervous looking figures across the country.”
The Midlands “doesn’t have good capacity compared to the number of people being sick”, Prof Spector said, adding: “It wouldn’t take much to tip the Midlands into a big problem.
“In contrast, you can see in London there is huge capacity and it would take a very large number of cases to overrun.
“I have a feeling this will be a more regional problem, if it becomes one.”
Prof Spector said if he was running the country he would be using the Government’s “Plan B” now.
The Government’s “Plan A” to tackle Covid over the winter involves a mass booster vaccination programme.
But ministers are leaving mask wearing, social distancing and home-working in reserve under “Plan B”, in case the situation worsens.
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