Since the outbreak of Covid-19 way back in December 2019 and into early 2020, we’ve learned a lot more about the virus and how it affects people.
We’ve also learned what to look out for if we start to feel unwell, with a number of symptoms being unmistakeably recognized as Covid-19, such as losing the sense of taste or smell.
However, apart from the most common complaints from people with Covid, it can be hard to determine if you need to get a test or self-isolate.
Many people will also experience breathlessness, a new continuous cough, or a high temperature when they have contracted Covid-19, but having less common symptoms could still indicate that you’ve been infected.
In pre-Covid times, having a sore throat would simply require sucking a lozenge and going about your business. This is not the case anymore, though.
Sore throats can be a symptom of Covid-19, and it’s important to get tested if yo experience one.
This being said, according to the ZOE Covid Study, most people who had a sore throat and received a positive PCR test felt that it was quite mild.
Their site said: “People using the app have reported having a sore throat that feels similar to what you might experience during a cold or laryngitis.”
“COVID-related sore throats tend to be relatively mild and last no more than five days. A very painful sore throat that lasts more than five days may be something else such as a bacterial infection, so don’t be afraid to contact your GP if the problem persists,” they said.
A Covid-19 sore throat is typically worse on the first day it appears, improving over the next few days or in a week for children.
It’s one of the less common symptoms, with 11% of people in ZOE’s study reporting it as being their only symptom.
“Almost half of people who are ill with Covid-19 will experience a sore throat. However, it’s more common in adults aged 18-65 (49%) and than in the elderly (37%) or those under 18 (40%),” they reported.
So, if you have a sore throat, it might not be Covid-19, but it also very possibly could be. This is why it’s important to get tested if you experience any symptoms of the virus.
Other less common symptoms you may experience if you’ve contracted Covid include fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhoea.
With the Omicron variant “likely” to be already here, according to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, it’s important to keep an eye out for any signs of the virus.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that it’s milder than previous strains, but it will be a few weeks before we know for sure how it affects people.
Some South African GPs have said they’ve seen the usual dry cough, body pains, fever and night sweats in patients, while others say they’ve seen severe tiredness, with none of their patients losing their sense of taste or smell.
Until the strain has run its course on those infected and experts have been able to study the nature of it, it’s important to keep note of anything out of the ordinary when it comes to your health and get tested accordingly.
