Viruses evolve over time, and the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen is no exception. The symptoms shift accordingly, and with the current BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants dominating the country, sore throats and runny noses are the most frequently reported signs of illness.
According to The Hill, the Zoe Health Study, a joint effort by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, King’s College London, Stanford University School of Medicine and the health app Zoe, shared an updated list of the top COVID-19 symptoms reported by contributors with positive COVID-19 tests in the month prior to December 5, 2022. These include:
• sore throat
• runny nose
• blocked nose
• sneezing
• a cough without phlegm
• sneezing
• hoarse vice
• muscle aches and pains
• altered sense of smell
These are basically the same symptoms observed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the start of the pandemic, says The Hill, with notable exceptions. Sneezing and hoarse voice are new symptoms on the list. Gastrointestinal-related symptoms of diarrhea and nausea or vomiting and loss of smell, shortness of breath, and fever are absent.
These current COVID-19 symptoms are similar to those of the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), say experts. The three respiratory viruses comprise a “tripledemic” of sickness that has already wreaked havoc on U.S. healthcare systems across the country. Experts recommend monitoring symptoms since the severity of illness varies from person to person. The Children’s National Hospital prepared a chart that compares the symptoms associated with COVID-19, the flu, and RSV.
Experts say that wearing masks in crowded, urban areas along with getting vaccinated and boosted may reduce your risk of severe illness.