These Omicron symptoms are now the most common sign of Covid - replacing cough and loss of senses

Across the UK the Omicron variant continues to be the dominant strain.

This latest mutation can cause a range of symptoms which can make it difficult to know whether you are suffering from Covid or a cold.

According to the NHS, the three main symptoms of coronavirus are a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change to your sense of smell and taste, LiverpoolEcho reports.

But people are reporting more symptoms which are closely associated with the common cold, scientists behind the ZOE covid symptom app claim.

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Woman blowing her nose (South Wales Echo)

For analysis, scientists took the health reports from contributors reporting positive cases in the ZOE COVID Study app in December 2021 as Omicron became dominant and compared them with data from early October when Delta was the dominant variant.

Dr Claire Steves said the top five symptoms in both periods were:

1. Runny nose
2. Headache
3. Fatigue
4. Sneezing
5. Sore throat

This analysis found no clear difference in the symptom profile of Delta and Omicron, with only 50% of people experiencing the classic three symptoms of fever, cough, or loss of sense of smell or taste.

The typical symptoms of a cough, loss of taste and smell and fever, were further down on the list.

Other symptoms in order included:

• Persistent cough

• Hoarse voice

• Other

• Shivers

• Fever

• Dizzy

• Brain fog

• Altered smell

• Eyesoreness

• Unusual muscle pains

• Skipped meals

• Loss of smell

• Chest pains

• Swollen glands

• Feeling down

Loss of smell and taste become much less common. It was in the top 10 symptoms earlier in 2021, and now it's ranking at 17, with only one in five people experiencing it.

Dr Steves said cold-like symptoms remain the top symptoms in people with covid and classic symptoms such as a cough are "much less prevalent".

She added: "Most reported symptoms are really very much like a cold, especially in people who have been vaccinated.

"If you are feeling at all under the weather please make sure you get a test."

If the symptoms are mild, why should I worry about Omicron?

Omicron can still hospitalise and cause serious illness and can spread much quicker, scientists say, as well as having damaging effects on the economy due to high numbers of people needing to self-isolate.

According to ZOE research, findings show exactly what you can do to strengthen your immune system — like eating a healthy - and to help protect yourself against coronavirus and other harmful invaders.

In detail, the study found that people who ate a high-quality diet, rich in plant-based foods, were 10 per cent less likely to get Covid-19 and 40 per cent less likely to get severe illness requiring treatment in the hospital.

Additionally, being fully vaccinated has been found to be the best way to protect people from severe disease and hospitalisation as well as mask wearing in crowded places.

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