A doctor has issued a warning about a specific symptom that she claims is “unique” to Covid. If you experience this symptom it is therefore more likely you have Covid than another illness.
At this time of year it’s quite common to become unwell with some sort of illness. The colder temperatures coupled with the fact we spend more time indoors with other people makes it easier for viruses to spread.
However, it can be difficult to know exactly what is wrong as some of the symptoms of colds, flu, and COVID-19 can seem similar.
With this in mind, Doctor Rupa Parmar – GP and medical director at Midland Health – shared her tips for differentiating these illnesses.
She said: “There are some key differences between a common cold, Covid and flu that can easily help you differentiate them. But, if you’re still unsure, always consult your doctor. After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to health.”
Among the symptoms she discussed is one that she said is “somewhat unique to Covid”. Dr Parmar said: “A loss of taste or smell is a symptom somewhat unique to Covid.
“If you are experiencing either a change in taste or a complete loss, it is most likely that you have the coronavirus.” However, the NHS notes that a change or loss of smell can be caused by “illnesses such as a cold, flu or COVID-19”.
But on its website the NHS does not list a loss of taste or smell on its page about flu symptoms suggesting it may not be as common. It is also listed by the NHS as a less common sign of a cold.
Other symptoms
To get a better understanding of what illness you have, it’s important to take note of all the symptoms. Dr Parmar continued: “Understanding which virus you have depends on the combination of symptoms and their severity.
“A mild cough and sore throat are unlikely to be more than a cold, a fever and severe fatigue suggest the flu, while a loss of smell or taste and continuous cough point to Covid.” Another symptom she said is more common with Covid is shortness of breath.
“Shortness of breath is rare in both a cold and the flu, but as Covid more so affects the lungs due to inflammation, it is a common symptom,” she said. This is supported by the NHS, which lists shortness of breath as a sign of Covid and not flu or a cold. This is more commonly found in the case of illnesses such as Covid or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
But it is important to note that if a person doesn’t recover from the flu and it develops into something more serious, they may start to experience breathing difficulties. This can occur if the patient has pneumonia, for example.
Further to this Dr Parmar revealed that there are variations between the types of cough you can get with these illnesses. She said: “Coughs are common in all three viruses, but they have differences.
“With a cold, a cough will be mild, while a flu cough will seem dry. With Covid, a cough will be dry and continuous, and many people will cough for more than an hour or have three or more coughing episodes within a day.”
