Headache, sore throat, runny nose… These symptoms generally associated with a cold or influenza, are now among the most common among young Britons with the variant Covid-19 Delta, first appeared in India.
According to Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College of London, the Delta variant, which today represents 90% of contaminations recorded at UK, looks more like a “Bad cold”.
No loss of taste and smell
These data come from information collected as part of the Zoe participatory study, an application allowing people infected with the virus to report their current symptoms.
“Since the beginning of May, we have looked at the most common symptoms for all app users, and they are not the same as before” entrusts Tim Spector to Guardian. “Now the number one symptom is a headache … followed by sore throat, runny nose and fever” he continues.
Previously, the most common symptoms of Covid-19 were fever, loss of taste, smell and cough.
And while cough is the fifth most common symptom in Delta variant patients, ageusia and anosmia are not in the top 10. Fortunately, the few serious symptoms reported in India, such as discharge hearing and gangrene, have not been listed in the UK.
According to the professor, the resemblance to the common cold feeds “A big part of the problem”. “People may think they just have a simple seasonal cold, and they keep going to parties…” he worries.
96% of UK contaminations
These last weeks, the health situation has deteriorated across the Channel, where the number of contaminations rose from 2,000 to 7,000 per day while hospitalizations began to increase.
The variant that appeared in India accounts for over 90% of infections in the country.
The professor of epidemiology therefore asks the British to “Stay at home and take a test, as soon as they feel less well”. This message is aimed particularly at young people, who are less likely to have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Gold a single injection of AstraZeneca or Pfizer only protects 33% against the delta variant, according to British health services.
People aged 20 to 29 or 0 to 19 are therefore more and more affected by the virus, which would also explain why the symptoms are less virulent.
Currently, 80% of adults have received at least one injection in the UK, but just under 60% have completed their vaccination course.
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