Covid is still circulating, and new variants can cause a range of symptoms worth paying attention to.
Here are some of the signs associated with the current covid variants.
Sore throat
The SW.2 variant can cause discomfort and soreness in the throat.
However, the severe strep throat-like pain previously associated with some variants does not appear to be typical of the current variants.
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Fatigue
Severe fatigue is among the symptoms that can occur with an infection.
People may feel unusually sluggish and experience a lack of energy.
Stuffy nose
Covid can also affect the nose and sinuses.
A stuffy nose is therefore among the common symptoms that doctors and experts associate with SW.2.
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Fever and chills
Fever can occur with the current covid variants. Some people may also experience chills, which can make it difficult to feel comfortable.
Dry cough
A dry cough remains a typical symptom of covid. The cough may provide very little relief.
Runny nose
A stuffy nose is not the only nasal symptom that can occur.
SW.2 and related variants can also cause a runny nose, and some people may experience both.
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Body aches
Pain and soreness throughout the body are also among the common symptoms.
It may therefore be worth paying attention to unexplained soreness, even if you have not been physically active.
Symptoms have not changed significantly
According to experts, the current symptoms do not differ significantly from those that have characterized covid in recent times.
The biggest change occurred earlier in the pandemic rather than with the latest variants.
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Loss of taste and smell is less common
Early in the pandemic, loss of taste and smell was a characteristic sign of covid.
This symptom is now less common, so people should not wait for it to appear before considering getting tested.
Symptoms can resemble a cold
Covid infections today can more closely resemble an upper respiratory illness.
Some people therefore describe the infection as a bad cold, which can also make infections more difficult to detect.
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Allergies typically do not cause fever
It can be difficult to distinguish between covid, influenza and allergies based on symptoms alone.
However, allergies do not normally cause fever and are often associated with itchy eyes, while both covid and influenza can cause fever.
Influenza can begin more suddenly
Influenza tends to strike faster and harder, with symptoms including body aches and fatigue.
Covid symptoms, on the other hand, can develop more gradually, but symptoms alone are not reliable enough to make a diagnosis.
Symptoms can appear within a few days
The incubation period for SW.2 is similar to what has generally been seen with Omicron.
Symptoms typically appear after three to four days but can develop around two to five days after infection.
An early test can be negative
Testing shortly after exposure can produce a negative result even if a person is infected.
For people without symptoms, it may therefore be appropriate to wait around three to five days after a known exposure, while those with symptoms should test when symptoms begin.
At-home tests still work
At-home tests can still be used for newer covid variants.
The tests generally target a part of the virus that is relatively stable, but the accuracy of the result depends on factors including proper testing technique, the timing of the test and the amount of virus present.
This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.