Suffering from sore throat? Here's how to find out whether it is COVID or cold
- Studies suggest that common Omicron symptoms include cough, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat, headache, etc.
- But scratchy, sore throat could also be linked to a lot of other things
As the weather changed suddenly and significantly, many are now experiencing cold-like symptoms that include scratchy or sore throat. But it still remains confusing (for those who are experiencing such symptoms) whether it is covid or cold and how to detect it on basis of the simple symptoms. This is challenging as many COVID patients today show symptoms that are very similar to the common cold. Here is how to identify:
A common symptom for both cold and COVID:
Several studies have pointed out sore throat and scratchy throat is the most common symptoms for Omicron. Hence, many refer to Omicron as cold or flu like symptoms.
Studies suggest that common Omicron symptoms include cough, runny nose, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, fever and sneezing. Some also suffer from vomiting, night sweats and loss of appetite.
But as far as scratchy, sore throat is concerned, it could also be linked to a lot of other things. It could also be a result of a change in weather.
How to distinguish symptoms?
The best way to understand the difference is through the severity of the symptoms. In case it is cold, you might feel mild discomfort in your throat, while for COVID, you may suffer from other signs like fever, cough, fatigue, body pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and loss of smell and taste. These symptoms are unlikely if you just have a cold.
Plus as per, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the incubation time for COVID-19 ranges from 1-14 days, most commonly being around 5 days. For Omicron, experts say it's shorter i.e. 3 days. However, for a normal cold, it is typically between 1 and 3 days.
How to find out?
The best way to find out is to get tested. In case the symptoms persist for over 2-3 days, you should get a RT-PCR test done. And, in case of any severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness and more, contact your nearest healthcare provider.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has time and again warned that some
Omicron patients might show cold-like symptoms. But Omicron is not the
common cold.