A sickness bug that is said to last "nearly a month" has hit one part of Merseyside.
The bug appears to have symptoms similar to covid, with people suffering from a "sore throat, cough and sore eyes", and looks as though it has hit Formby.
One person posted anonymously on the local Facebook page Formby Bubble: "Hi, does anybody know of any bugs going around with a sore throat, cough and sore eyes?"
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Comments quickly appeared with people assuming the bug was the early signs of coronavirus, although others thought it may have been a common cold.
One person, however, seems to have had the same illness. They wrote: "Yes I had this Dec/Jan, lasted nearly a month."
Another person said that their daughter has it at the moment: "Yes my daughter currently has it and it’s not covid."
One person who commented warned the writer to be wary though and said: "Unfortunately that sounds like covid, sometimes it can take up to five days to show on a test. Hope you feel better soon."
Another person reminded people that it could be a common cold. They said: "Not everything is covid. Could be allergies or just a cold or seasonal flu."
NHS guidance says you should treat a cold with:
- rest and sleep
- keep warm
- drink plenty of water (fruit juice or squash mixed with water is okay) to avoid dehydration
- gargle salt water to soothe a sore throat (not suitable for children)
You should see a GP if:
- your symptoms do not improve after 3 weeks
- your symptoms get suddenly worse
- your temperature is very high or you feel hot and shivery
- you're concerned about your child's symptoms
- you're feeling short of breath or develop chest pain
- you have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes, or a heart, lung or kidney condition
- you have a weakened immune system – for example, because you're having chemotherapy
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