Covid symptoms: ‘Super cold’ similar to Covid infection signs warns GP – what to look for
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Despite Springtime finally upon us, there have been a number of reports of people being struck with bugs and colds. How can you tell if it’s a cold, a “super cold” or Covid?
A GP from Yorkshire discussed the cause for so many Brits falling ill currently with the worrying symptoms to be aware of.
Many people have described illnesses that have covid-like symptoms but are not the virus, including the flu, norovirus and a “super cold.”
Doctor Ollie Hart, a GP at Sloan Medical Centre in Sheffield, spoke to Yorkshire Live about how the “super cold” is currently spreading around the UK.
The term “super cold” was first used in the UK at the end of last year when people started getting covid symptoms but remained negative on tests.
Doctor Hart explained: “It’s felt like more than usual for this time of year and there seems to be quite a high occurrence.
“But my gut feeling is that this is coming from people mixing with no barriers again.
“People are mixing and spreading bugs they haven’t for a while.
“We’ve been protected from that over the past few years and our immune systems aren’t quite used to it.”
A cold consists of an upper respiratory tract infection.
The symptoms are largely experienced from the neck upwards such as coughing, sneezing, phlegm and runny eyes.
A “super cold” on the other hand could be more of a super flu, experts explain.
These symptoms include body aches, extreme exhaustion, fever and headaches.
“We’re seeing the usual range of symptoms – sore throats, runny noses, coughs, diarrhoea,” said Doctor Hart.
“It’s just almost concentrated at the moment now everyone is mixing with no restrictions.
“People shouldn’t panic. We have almost forgotten what it’s like to have an ordinary cough or cold that’s not Covid.
“There isn’t a plague running around. Having simple bugs is an ordinary fact of life.
“Some other doctors have said we’re seeing a slightly later flu season than normal this year, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that although flu levels remain low, they are increasing. From March 17 to March 24, people with flu increased from 1.6 percent to 2.5 percent.
The other bug that’s going around at the moment is the norovirus, a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. According to UKHSA, week nine to week 10 of 2022 saw a doubling in norovirus cases.
Professor Saheer Gharbia, Gastrointestinal Pathogens and Food Safety Directorate, UKHSA, said: “Norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, has been at lower levels than normal throughout the pandemic but as people have begun to mix more, the numbers of outbreaks have started to increase again.
“Symptoms include sudden onset of nausea, projectile vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs.
“Stay at home if you are experiencing norovirus symptoms and do not return to work or send children to school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared.”
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