A GP has shared advice when it comes to knowing what illness you are dealing with
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If you are struggling to tell whether you are suffering from Covid or just caught a regular cold, there is one key difference to tell the two apart.
According to Dr Parmar, a telltale sign of Covid is experiencing shortness of breath. This is less likely to occur if what you have is a normal cold. “Shortness of breath is rare in both a cold and the flu, but as Covid more so affects the lungs due to inflammation, it is a common symptom,” she told The Mirror.
Her advice is supported by the NHS website, which lists breathlessness as an indicator of Covid rather than flu or a cold. This symptom is more typically associated with conditions such as Covid or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The type of cough you have could also help differentiate between illnesses. Dr Parmar explained that with a cold, a cough will be “mild”, while a flu cough will seem more “dry”.
She said: “With Covid, a cough will be dry and continuous, and many people will cough for more than an hour or have three or more coughing episodes within a day.”
If you are experiencing a loss of taste or smell, it is more likely you have Covid than a cold or flu, although this symptom can sometimes occur with all three.
If you have Covid, the NHS advises that people should aim to stay at home and minimise contact with others if they or their children exhibit symptoms and either have a high temperature or feel too unwell to attend work, school, childcare, or carry out regular activities.
But if you’re still unsure about what is wrong, you should always consult your doctor. Dr Parmar added: “After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to health.”
