Covid new strain symptoms: Seven signs GPs want added to the official symptoms list

Boots answers common questions about the coronavirus vaccine

Self-isolation is crucial in the early stages of Covid infection to help curb the spread of the disease. However, for those not exhibiting any three of the NHS warning signs, they could unwittingly be passing on the virus. There have been 112,660 people in the UK who have fell ill with coronavirus and passed away. The government’s latest statistics – updated on Thursday, February 4 – recorded 915 daily deaths due to the notorious disease.

Now it’s time for the NHS symptoms list to reflect four additional signs doctors see again and again.

In an open letter addressed to England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, and Susan Hopkins, 140 GPs urge NHS Covid case definitions to be updated.

They hope these following seven signs will be added to the NHS Covid symptom list, in line with symptoms presented by the World Health Organisation (WHO):

• Runny nose
• Blocked nose
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Hoarseness
• Muscle pain

Dr Alex Sohal, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer in Primary Care at Queen Mary University of London, penned the open letter.

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Dr Sohal wrote: “As GPs, we regularly review patients with mild symptoms — for example, a runny or blocked nose, sore throat, hoarseness, myalgia, fatigue, and headache — who subsequently turn out to be Covid positive.

“These patients have frequently not even considered that they may have COVID-19 and have not self-isolated in the crucial early days when they were most infectious.”

Drawing attention to the national campaign focused on cough, high temperature, and loss of smell or taste as symptoms, GPs have has to “advise patients to be dishonest to get a Covid test”.

“It is vital to now change the UK Covid case definition and test criteria to include coryza and cold, making them consistent with WHO,” she said.

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Coryza is the medical term to describe symptoms associated with the common cold, that includes a runny nose, said MedicineNet.

Dr Sohal urges Whitty to “tell the public, especially those who have to go out to work and their employers” to self-isolate for five days if they have mild symptoms, akin to a cold.

“This will help to get — and keep — us out of this indefinite lockdown, as Covid becomes increasingly endemic globally.

“Ignoring this will be at our peril,” she warned the two medical experts spearheading Public Health England.

The WHO list 13 symptoms of Covid to be aware of, with the most common being:

• Fever
• Dry cough
• Tiredness

Less common symptoms include:

• Aches and pains
• Sore throat
• Diarrhoea
• Conjunctivitis
• Headache
• Loss of taste or smell
• A rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes

Serious symptoms, that require medical assistance, include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Chest pain or pressure
• Loss of speech or movement

So far, there have been 10,490,487 people who have received their first vaccination of the Covid jab, reported the government.

This monumental effort to get the public vaccinated seems to be on track, as high street pharmacies and supermarkets now offer Covid jabs.

People who are eligible for a Covid jab will be invited by the NHS to attend a GP centre, for example.

Be aware that scam emails are currently circulating offering fake Covid jabs.

The real Covid vaccine is free and the NHS will never ask for your financial details for any reason.

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