Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brits have been told to be vigilant and get tested if they display any of the main symptoms of the virus.
Most people will be aware of the three ‘classic’ Covid symptoms recognised by the NHS – a new, continuous cough, a fever and loss of taste or smell.
The NHS says that most people who have symptoms will experience at least one of the above.
But according to one Covid expert, these symptoms - which were identified at the start of the pandemic - are now less common.
UK epidemiologist and professor Tim Spector explained that the “virus has evolved”, which has caused the symptoms to change too.
Omicron has replaced Delta as the dominant variant in England, and according to data collected by the ZOE Covid Study app, symptoms tend to be milder.
A recent analysis found that “only 50% of people experiencing the classic three symptoms of fever, cough, or loss of sense of smell or taste”.
Prof Spector, who is the co-creator of the ZOE app, wrote in a blog post on newsGP: “Importantly, we found that only half of people with Covid had any of the classic three symptoms of fever, cough or loss of sense of smell.”
The data analysis, which is being done by King’s College London, found that there is “no significant” difference between Delta and Omicron symptoms.
However, they also found that there are “clear differences” in how common some symptoms were in Omicron infections.
What are the symptoms of Omicron?
The most common symptoms of Omicron, according to the ZOE study app, are
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Fatigue (mimld or severe)
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
The first official Covid symptom on the list is persistent cough, which comes in at number six. Fever is the 10th most common symptom, followed by altered smell at number 13 and loss of smell at number 17.
Prof Spector continued: “Omicron appears to be continuing the trend set by Delta. It’s causing symptoms that are much more like a regular cold, particularly in people who’ve been vaccinated, and fewer general systemic symptoms, such as nausea, muscle pains, diarrhoea and skin rashes.
"For example, anosmia (loss of smell) was in the top 10 in October but has fallen to 17th place.
"What was once a key indicator of Covid is now only seen in around one in five people testing positive.
"And according to our data, less than a third of people (29%) will ever experience a fever, which is also far less common than we’ve seen in the past."
What to do if you have Covid symptoms
If you experience any of the main symptoms of Covid, even if they are mild, you are urged to get a PCR test.
Stay at home and don’t have visitors, until you get your test result.
The only reason you should leave your home is to have a test.
You can order a PCR test for free on the government website if you have any of there three main coronavirus symptoms.
