Distinctive sign you’ve got Covid and not just the flu - as cases surge
Christmas is creeping up, which means it's officially the season to be stocking up on cough syrup, tissues and Lemsip.
This year, you might have heard that flu cases in particular are surging, with UK hospitals bracing for a difficult winter. In fact, flu season has come around a month earlier than usual this year, with scientists spotting the first mutated virus back in June.
It is closely related to the strain of flu that saw Australia's worst-ever flu season on record, earlier this year. Usually, Australia's flu season, which takes place before the UK's, is a good indicator of what's to come.
Chief executive of NHS England Jim Mackey said: "Since stepping into this role, the thought of a long, drawn-out flu season has kept me awake at night. And, unfortunately, it looks like that fear is becoming reality.
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"Australia has just endured its worst flu season on record - over 410 000 cases - and all the signs suggest the NHS will face similar challenges in the months ahead. From December through to March our hospitals will be at capacity."
According to the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA), flu cases in the UK shot up by 11.6 per cent in the first week of November.
It's not just flu doing the rounds, either.
Yep, good old Covid has also made a return, and apparently there's one key symptom that sets it apart from the other nasty viruses doing the rounds such as a cold or the flu.
While many winter bugs come with the usual fever, cough, runny nose and sore throat, 'shortness of breath' is listed by the NHS as a symptom of Covid, but not characteristically one of a cold or the flu.
What are the symptoms of Covid?
As per the NHS, symptoms of Covid can include:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
What are the symptoms of the flu?
Meanwhile, the symptoms of flu include:
- a temperature that's often high
- body aches
- feeling tired or exhausted
- a dry cough
- a sore throat
- a headache
- difficulty sleeping
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or tummy pain
- feeling sick and being sick
To try and avoid a serious case of flu, experts are urging eligible people to get vaccinated.
Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: "With just weeks left to ensure best protection against the worst of the flu season, we are issuing an urgent SOS to the eligible people who have yet to get jabbed this year.
"The vaccine is proven to be safe and help prevent those at risk from getting seriously ill and even hospitalised from flu."
Of course, there's the latest Covid variant floating about, too. This newest variant, known as Straus, also has its own distinctive symptom.
Lucy Devine