A headache, sore throat and runny nose are now among commonly reported symptoms linked to the delta variant of Covid-19 in the UK.
The new strain, which was first identified in India, has put plans to end lockdown in the UK on hold due to its high level of transmission.
Our closest neighbours have seen a surge in hospitalisations in recent weeks as they race to vaccinate the rest of the population before the virus spreads further.
And concerns have been expressed about how the variant may affect Ireland's reopening plans.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney spoke about the more infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 in the UK.
"The numbers are concerning and we need to do what we can within reason to do what we can to protect people here," he said.
"I don't want to announce anything today but we are looking at this seriously."
Coveney warned on RTE's This Week that tighter travel restrictions between Ireland and the UK may be needed to stop the spread of the Delta variant here.
Researchers say the symptoms people are reporting when they have Covid-19 have changed since the emergence of the Delta variant.
The mutation of the coronavirus first seen in India is now responsible for more than 90 per cent of new cases in the UK.
Until this point, people have been urged to watch for key symptoms that could show they have contracted Covid-19.
They are a new, dry, persistent cough, a temperature and a loss of sense of taste or smell.
But leading scientists in the UK say there are new signs you should now watch for.
User-submitted research has found that a headache and a sore throat have become more common symptoms.
The change could be in part because the new variant is currently spreading among younger people.
Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, said the Indian variant is now 'more like a cold' in younger people.
The lead researcher professor added that people should get tested if they think they have a cold to curb any potential spread of Covid.
Data taken by the ZOE app, which is the UK largest symptom-tracking study, showed a cough was the most common symptom at the beginning of the pandemic, with 46 per cent of infected patients having it.
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But it has now been overtaken by a headache, sore throat, runny nose and fever, Professor Spector claimed.
Prof Spector told the Telegraph: "People aren't realising this, and people might think they've got some sort of seasonal cold and they still go out to parties and they might spread it around.
"Since the start of May, we've been looking at the top symptoms and they are not the same as they were.
"Number one is headache followed by sore throat, runny nose and fever. All those are not the old classic symptoms, number five is cough, so it's rarer and we don't even see loss of smell coming into the top 10 anymore.
"This variant seems to be working slightly differently."
