Distinguishing symptoms of Omicron, Delta, cold, flu
The signs of the Omicron, Delta variant gradually decrease as the virus evolves, becoming more and more like a cold.
Infected peopleOmicron,Delta, colds, and flu have many similar symptoms. So, regardless of your symptoms, it's best to get tested for SARS-CoV-2.
If you test positive, self-isolate. If you test negative but still feel unwell, stay away from other people to avoid spreading diseases.
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| People infected with Covid-19 rarely have a high fever like the flu. Illustration photo: Femina |
Omicron variant
The doctor who first warned about Omicron said the variant causes symptoms different from the classic signs of Covid-19.
Dr Angelique Coetzee - President of the South African Medical Association said that the main symptoms of Omicron are fatigue, body aches and headaches. To date, the patient has not experienced loss of smell or taste.
Experts at the Covid-19 Symptom Research app found that people who tested positive for Omicron were experiencing cold-like symptoms, including sneezing.
Night sweats are also an important sign of Omicron, says Dr. Amir Khan.
Delta Variant
Delta was the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in many countries before being replaced by Omicron. As the number of cases has increased, evidence has emerged that Delta's symptoms are different from the original strain.
Cough and loss of smell are not common in Delta, according to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Covid-19 symptoms gradually decrease as the SARS-CoV-2 virus evolves.
The sub-variant of Delta (AY.4.2) accounts for around 15% of cases in the UK and is less symptomatic. Accordingly, only 67% of people infected with AY.4.2 develop symptoms compared to 76% of people infected with Delta.
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| Comparing the symptoms of Covid-19 in general with those of colds and flu |
Influenza
Most people are familiar with the flu. It is similar to Covid-19, although it is caused by different viruses.
Data shows that people with flu do not lose their sense of smell or taste like people with the original strain of Covid-19.
According to the World Health Organization, seasonal influenza is characterized by sudden onset of high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe fatigue, sore throat, and runny nose.
Have a cold
Common cold symptoms include stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, cough, sneezing, fever, earache, loss of taste/smell.
But colds don't usually cause a sudden fever like the flu. Patients may have more nasal congestion.
Data shows that 25% of people with cold symptoms actually have Covid-19.
