COVID-19 is no longer a daily topic of conversation, but the virus continues to circulate, especially during the winter months.
The illness can easily be mistaken for a common cold or the flu. This makes it harder for many people to judge when they should react.
Symptoms
Parade has spoken with several doctors who point out that the most common symptoms at the beginning of 2026 are cough, runny nose, sore throat, and fatigue.
These are symptoms that many people associate with typical winter infections.
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Children are more likely to develop a fever than adults, while adults more frequently experience headaches.
At the same time, both children and adults report more severe throat pain than before.
According to Parade, brain fog is also mentioned as a possible symptom, but doctors emphasize that it is difficult to determine this with certainty.
Why testing is important
When symptoms do not stand out, testing becomes the most important tool.
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Classic COVID-19 signs, such as loss of taste and smell, are now seen in only a smaller proportion of those infected. Stomach problems and nausea are also less common than before.
This means that many people risk overlooking an infection and thereby spreading the disease further, especially to older individuals and people with weakened health.
For society, this can lead to more sick days and increased pressure on the healthcare system.
New challenges
According to Parade, the current virus variants are still based on Omicron.
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Doctors assess that they are no more severe than previous variants, but the risk of long-term effects remains.
COVID-19 has become harder to detect, and therefore testing and vigilance continue to play an important role.
Sources: Parade.
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