A high temperature, sore throat and aching body can all be signs of a respiratory infection, but working out which one is responsible is not always easy. The latest UK surveillance has highlighted renewed Covid activity, with health officials keeping an eye on a variant often referred to as 'American Covid'.
The variant is known as XFG, or Stratus, and the UK Health Security Agency says it has been circulating for around a year rather than being a completely new virus. In England, hospital-setting Covid-19 cases rose from 1,328 to 1,638 in the week ending October 4, although those figures do not represent every infection in the community.
How symptom timing differs
Dr Neel Patel, Associate Medical Director at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, says the course of the illness may provide one indication of what someone is dealing with. He said: "People with flu normally feel very unwell for two or three days and will continue to experience symptoms for around another five days.
"After that, you may feel tired and run down for a further two or three weeks. However, people with coronavirus usually begin to show symptoms five to six days after being exposed, and symptoms commonly last up to two weeks."
Symptoms overlap between both conditions
Dr Patel warned that the symptoms can be difficult to separate, adding: "It can be difficult to tell coronavirus apart from the flu as they share many of the same symptoms; however, they may feel more intense than having the flu." NHS Inform also lists overlapping symptoms, including fever, cough, tiredness, headache and muscle aches, meaning symptoms alone cannot confirm which virus you have.
A Covid test is the more direct way to check, rather than relying on how long symptoms last. Dr Patel said: "While Covid-19 tests are no longer freely available on the NHS, you can still buy lateral flow, PCR and antibody tests online."
Who can get free tests and when to seek help
People at highest risk of becoming seriously ill may still be eligible for free lateral flow tests through participating pharmacies, while others can purchase tests.
Dr Patel says urgent medical attention is needed for symptoms including difficulty breathing at rest, confusion, loss of consciousness, persistent chest pain or pressure, cold or blue-tinged skin, or sudden loss of speech or movement. Call 999 for severe breathing difficulties, sudden chest pain or other life-threatening symptoms, and seek advice from NHS 24 on 111 if you are worried or your condition is getting worse.
