• Question: Is there a way to differ symptoms of Covid-19 from a cold or fever?

    Asked by anon-256919 on 16 Jun 2020.
    • Photo: Sarah Montgomery

      Sarah Montgomery answered on 16 Jun 2020:

      It’s not easy. You can do a test, where we look at the genetics of whatever’s in your throat and find out whether it’s coronavirus or not. But we worry that those tests sometimes turn out a false negative if we don’t capture enough of the virus on the swab.

      I had a bad cold at the beginning of March and I didn’t know whether to stay home or not. I got a runny nose but no fever, so we decided it probably wasn’t coronavirus, but I don’t think I would risk it again now. Better safe than sorry!

    • Photo: Lucy McGowan

      Lucy McGowan answered on 16 Jun 2020:

      The only way of being sure is by having a test. However, there are some symptoms that are a little odd compared to the common cold. For example, some people with coronavirus have reported a complete loss of smell and taste for days or weeks. Some have reported this symptom without showing any other symptoms such as cough or fever. Another symptom of coronavirus which is quite severe is difficultly breathing or taking deep breaths. Of course if a person is struggling to breathe under any circumstances they should seek medical attention. As I said though, the only way to truly confirm this is with a test. Also, I’m no expert on coronavirus! These are the official NHS guidelines on coronavirus symptoms: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

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