A wave of Covid-19 symptoms are making their presence known, differentiating from your average common cold.

This summer has witnessed an uptick in individuals plagued by these "new" coronavirus symptoms which remarkably differ from the flu yet are "less severe" when compared to last year's Covid-19 wave. Sore throats, loss of taste and smell, bodily aches and breathlessness have been identified as the new indicators.

Superdrug noted an eye-watering 319% rise in sales for Covid-19 lateral flow kits along with a 297% surge in demand for cold and flu relief sachets reflecting the sheer number of people currently testing positive.

The health and beauty chain also reported a significant hike in Vitamin D sales, up by 116% and Zinc, up by 58%, indicating that Brits are keen on fortifying their immunity against these bothersome seasonal bugs.

In light of recent figures, it appears hospital Covid-19 positivity rates have incrementally increased from 3.72 to 4.35 per 100,000 over the span of the latest week. Mark Woolhouse, a professor specialising in infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh shed some light on Sky News stating: "The waves continue to be driven by a combination of new variants and a partial waning immunity to infection."

The new symptoms to look for are:

  • Fever: A high fever is more commonly associated with Covid. Summer colds might cause a mild fever, but it’s typically lower than those in Covid cases.
  • Loss of taste or smell: Anosmia (loss of taste or smell) is a commonly known symptom of Covid, rarely seen with Summer colds.
  • Fatigue and body aches: Covid often causes extreme fatigue and body aches. While Summer colds can cause tiredness, the level of fatigue is usually less severe.
  • Shortness of breath: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath is more specific to Covid, particularly in more severe cases.
  • Duration of symptoms: Covid symptoms may last longer and change over time. A Summer cold typically resolves within a week to ten days.

Superdrug's Pharmacy Superintendent, Niamh McMillan, sounded a note of caution: "With Covid causing a range of respiratory symptoms, individuals should be aware of the distinct characteristics that may differentiate a Summer cold from one associated with this virus. If you have a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell, it might be time to investigate further and potentially take a Covid test."