Sore throat more prominent Covid symptom than loss of smell and taste. 4 key characteristics
1 min read . Updated: 09 Oct 2022, 06:52 PM IST
Premium- COVID sore throat usually appears in the first week of illness and can improve quite quickly
Since 2019, coronavirus has muted significantly and with that changed the symptoms associated with it. For example, in the initial days, the most common COVID symptoms included loss of taste or smell and fatigue and as of today, the signs that are associated with the infection. "At the moment, COVID starts in two-thirds of people with a sore throat. Fever and loss of smell are really rare now – so many old people may not think they’ve got COVID. They’d say it’s a cold and not be tested," Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of the COVID ZOE app, notified. However, when one starts experiencing such symptoms, it becomes difficult to understand whether it is COVID, flu or a common cold.
What COVID sore throat feels like?
Covid sore throat is more or less similar to any other throat infection. But, when you get COVID, you can also experience pain, scratchiness, thickness in the throat, especially while swallowing something.
Patients can also feel dryness and irritation which could be an outcome of inflammation in the back of your throat, which can be very discomforting.
What are the characteristics of COVID sore throat?
- COVID sore throat usually appears in the first week of illness and can improve quite quickly
- It feels worse on the first day of infection but gets better on each following day
- A sore throat lasts no more than five days, and it is usually mild
- Anyone who suffers from sore throat for over five days should get themselves tested for some other illness, experts say.
What are the other symptoms of COVID-19?
The other symptoms for the infection include fever or chills, cough, fatigue, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, congestion or runny nose and gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea.
How to save yourself from the infection?
As per experts, the best way to stay safe is by getting vaccinated.
Apart from that, wearing well-fitted masks, maintaining social distance, keeping away from crowds and following good hand hygiene is key in preventing infections.
