The summer wave of Covid-19 in Ireland has peaked and is on the downward trend finally, but infection levels remain high in the community.
The rise in cases over recent weeks is being driven by Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, while a new variant has been discovered called Centaurus - although it has yet to arrive in Ireland.
Case numbers are still high, and therefore knowing when to isolate or when to grab an antigen test is vital to stopping the spread of the virus.
READ MORE: Dr warns 'an awful lot of Covid infection' going undiagnosed in Ireland
Professor Tim Spector, ZOE Scientific Co-Founder and lead scientist on the ZOE Health Study, has highlighted two symptoms that may be more noticeable when you wake in the morning.
If you do notice them, it is best to “assume" it is Covid, and the professor has offered advice on what to do if you think you have it.
He says there are two main symptoms that are becoming evident from a ZOE study, which has been collecting data throughout the pandemic.
So, if you wake up after a good night's sleep but still feel tired then that might point to Covid, so this Covid symptom therefore will be more apparent first thing in the morning.
Likewise, a sore throat is more commonly reported in people with Covid than a regular common cold, noted Prof Spector.
If you notice either of the above symptoms from the moment you wake up, "assume" it's Covid, he wrote on Twitter.
In his latest YouTube video, he highlighted this advice and suggested what to do if you spot cold-like symptoms: "Try and get tested if you can. If you can't get tested, assume you've got a cold and stay away from other people until you feel better,” Mr. Spector said.
The most common cold-like symptoms currently reported are:
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Persistent cough
- Mild and severe fatigue
According to the professor, Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 are behind latest the surge in cases, because they are breaching the existing immune defences built up from infection with other variants and vaccines.
In addition to evading the immune defences, these strains are also "dampening them down" so you don't get that inflammation at first to stop it, Prof Spector explained, however, this does not render the vaccines ineffective.
These strains may be more transmissible, but they’re generally resulting in a milder illness and the Covid-19 vaccines are largely to thank for this.
According to the latest health advice issued by Irish health officials, if you develop any known symptoms of Covid - even if they’re very mild - you should self-isolate and test.
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