Omicron, Covid, 'head cold' and chest infection symptoms - how to tell the difference

It's cold and flu season, which means coughs, runny noses and sore throats will be rife at this time of year.

With coronavirus cases soaring during the winter months, it's often hard to tell the difference between the symptoms of a common cold, Covid or the new variant Omicron.

Due to so many overlapping symptoms, it's important to know the signs and whether to isolate or seek medical help if your illness gets worse.

Most colds are mild and last about a week, but some people - especially those with weak immune systems - can develop more serious illnesses such as bronchitis, a sinus infection, or pneumonia, according to the NHS.

If you do have any Covid symptoms, the current guidance states that you should get a PCR test as soon as possible and self-isolate until you get your result.

Here's exactly how to spot the symptoms of a head cold, chest infection, Covid and Omicron so you know how to treat your illness.

Head cold

It's hard to tell the difference between a common cold or Covid (Getty Images)

You might have heard the terms 'head cold' and 'chest cold.' The difference in terms usually refers to the location of your symptoms.

A 'head cold' usually involves symptoms in your head, such as a stuffed, runny nose and blocked sinuses.

One way to know whether you’ve caught a head cold is by the symptoms.

According to the NHS, these include:

• Blocked or runny nose
• Sore throat
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Coughs
• Sneezing
• Raised temperature
• Pressure in your ears and face
• Loss of taste and smell

Chest cold/infection

Chest infections often follow colds or flu (Getty Images)

With a 'chest cold,' you’ll have chest congestion and a cough. Viral bronchitis is sometimes called a 'chest cold.'

Chest infections often follow colds or flu, according to the NHS.

The NHS states: "A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or large airways. Some chest infections are mild and clear up on their own, but others can be severe and life threatening."

The main symptoms are:

• Chesty cough – you may cough up green or yellow mucus
• Wheezing and shortness of breath
• Chest pain or discomfort
• High temperature
• Headache
• Aching muscles
• Tiredness

These symptoms can be unpleasant, but they usually get better on their own in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and mucus can last up to three weeks.

Covid symptoms

The NHS lists three main Covid symptoms (Getty Images)

The main symptoms of coronavirus listed by the NHS are:

• High temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• New, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

According the the World Health Organisation (WHO), other symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Diarrhoea
• Headache
• Rashes
• Sore throat
• Aches and pains
• Conjunctivitis

Omicron symptoms

The eight early warning symptoms of Omicron according to data from the UK, US and South Africa are:

• Scratchy throat
• Lower back pain
• Runny nose/congestion
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sneezing
• Night sweats
• Body aches

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