COVID-19: Sore throat now the most common coronavirus symptom, data suggests

Symptoms such as a fever or loss of smell - considered among the most characteristic signs of the virus
at the start of the pandemic - are among the least reported now.

Thursday 14 July 2022 21:17, UK

FILE PHOTO: People walk along a platform at Kings Cross train station during morning rush hour, amid
the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London, Britain, December 1, 2021. REUTERS/Henry
Nicholls/File Photo

A sore throat might be the main symptom that suggests someone has developed COVID-19, according to
new data.

After the soar throat, the next most prevalent symptoms are headache and blocked nose, according to
the Zoe Covid study.

At the start of the pandemic, symptoms such as a fever or loss of smell were considered among the
most characteristic signs of the virus.

But now they are among the least reported symptoms.

The study also mentions cough, hoarse voice, sneezing, fatigue and muscle aches as common symptoms.

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Professor Tim Spector, Zoe scientific co-founder and lead scientist on the Zoe Health Study, said the
virus is "still rampant" in the population.

He said: "So much so that if you have any cold-like symptoms at the moment it's nearly twice as likely to
be COVID as a cold."
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Because there are various COVID variants co-existing, such as Omicron variants BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5,
even people with a past infections or who are fully jabbed can catch it, Prof Spector said.

However, he added, "we're already seeing a slight drop in numbers day to day".

Virus becoming 'too clever'

COVID-related deaths have exceeded 200,000 in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics
(ONS).
Dr David Nabarro, WHO's special envoy on the virus, has said the it is constantly evolving and becoming
"too clever".

Dr Nabarro told Sky News' Kay Burley: "This virus is capable of constantly evolving and changing.

"The reason why we've got an increase is it's changed yet again and it's become too clever for us.

"It can break past our immune defences, and that's why the numbers are going up."

A person taking a COVID lateral flow test

The 20 Covid symptoms reported in the last week by 17,500 people who tested positive were: