Since the emergence of the new Delta variant, the symptoms people report when they have Covid have changed.
The new strain, also known as the Indian variant, is now responsible for more than 90% of new Covid cases in the United Kingdom.
COVID symptoms
Until now, people have been told to look out for three key symptoms that could indicate they have Covid-19. They include:
- persistent cough
- a fever
- loss of taste or smell
However, scientists now say there are new symptoms or signs to look out for.
New Delta Variant Symptoms
According to the new Zoe COVID Symptom study, the delta variant can feel “more like a bad cold” for young people who catch it.
The main symptoms reported with the delta variant in the U.K. include:
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
The common COVID-19 symptoms, such as cough, fever, and loss of taste or smell, are less common with the delta variant, according to Tim Spector, a professor at King’s College London who led the study.
“Since the start of May, we have been looking at the top symptoms in the app users — and they are not the same as they were,” Spector said. “This variant seems to be working slightly differently,” he said.
According to Spector, loss of smell does not appear to be one of the common symptoms associated with the variant.
Similar to seasonal flu
“People might think they’ve just got some sort of seasonal cold and they still go out to parties and they might spread around to six other people,” he said, according to BBC News.
He urged anyone suffering from a bad cold or a funny ‘off’ feeling to stay at home and take a test.
Delta variant is at least 40% more transmissible than the Alpha variant. It appears to double the risk of hospitalization. It also reduces the effectiveness of vaccines, especially after only one dose, reports The Guardian.
