BA.4 and BA.5 have caused an increase in infections, with many Britons developing new symptoms. 1 Many people who get Covid experience a sore throat and headacheCredit: Getty Most people who have caught the bug in recent months have had an illness similar to a cold. The Omicron strain was found to be milder than others that came before it. The mammoth rollout of vaccines across the UK has also helped protect millions of Britons. But as viruses evolve, so do symptoms, and the ZOE Symptom Tracker app team has revealed the top 20 people should watch out for. They are: The ZOE team said more than 57 percent of people logging their symptoms on the app experienced a sore throat, while 49 percent had a headache. It is a change from the three main signs previously set by the NHS, which were a new persistent cough, a high temperature and a loss of taste and smell. However, about 40 percent of people still experience some type of cough. But loss of taste and change in smell have become much rarer. Now only 12 percent of people who test positive have altered taste, with only 10 percent experiencing a change in smell. Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist on the study, said: “Covid is still rampant in the population. “So much so, that if you have cold-like symptoms right now, you’re almost twice as likely to have Covid than a cold.”
‘RECORD HIGH’
Cases of the bug have reached “record highs” in the past week, with data from the app showing that one in 15 people are now infected. The BA.4 and BA.5 coronavirus strains are driving the current summer wave. Descendants of Omicron, they are able to avoid immunity from previous infection and vaccines. Data from the UK Health Safety Authority (UKHSA) revealed that BA.5 grows 35.1 percent faster than Omicron BA.2, while BA.4 grows about 19.1 percent faster. Experts warned that those who had already taken Omicron were at risk of getting hooked again just four weeks after the bug appeared. However, there is no evidence that it does not protect against serious illness or death. Professor Spector added: “Even if people have had an infection in the past and are fully vaccinated, people still get it. “This is because there are many co-existing Covid variants (BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5). “The good news is that the numbers of cases will not increase indefinitely and we are already seeing a small drop in the numbers every day. “While we all want to make the most of the good weather, people will have to decide for themselves whether it’s worth the risk of going to big events, working from the office or using busy public transport.” Hospital admissions are rising and almost at the level seen in January and March – when earlier variants of Omicron caused outbreaks. Almost 2,000 patients are reported as Covid positive per day in England. Deaths remain relatively low, around 65 a day in England.
