While sore throat, a runny, stuffy nose, body aches and fever may be symptomatic of most COVID-19 variants, these also show up in influenza and pollution-related upper respiratory chest infection. With overlapping symptoms, testing is the only way to ensure a faster road to recovery with antivirals specific to each condition. According to Dr Rommel Tickoo, Director, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, there is a high incidence of flu, cough, sore throat and other viral-like illnesses in Delhi NCR attributable to air pollution and colder temperatures. So a COVID-19 infection could be mistaken for either one of these. “That’s why any influenza-like illness should be taken seriously among the immunocompromised group and an RT PCR test conducted. Now it makes sense to start random testing just to find out more about the new variant JN.1. We should start testing and thermal screening at airports. However, it’s important to remember that the coronavirus can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of them still mystifying,” he says. Why is it tough to differentiate between Covid, influenza and other viral infections? You can’t differentiate between the symptoms unless you do a test. We have been getting cases of flu for the last three months but without testing, we don’t know if there were Covid cases among them. If you don’t test and send samples for genome sequencing, how will you know the character of the virus? A BMJ study has said that “with vaccination, immunity from prior infection, and the evolution of Omicron to cause overall less intense acute infection, the presentation of symptoms has evolved.” These are now mostly confined to the upper respiratory system, fever, myalgia, fatigue, sneezing, sore throat and cough. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says if a person has COVID-19, it could take them longer from the time of infection to experience symptoms than if they have flu. How would you distinguish flu infection from that caused by pollution? While cough, cold and sore throat overlap, pollution-related illnesses usually have patients wheezing or report breathing difficulties. Those who have never used an inhaler end up using it. Do we need to worry about the new strain? A sporadic increase in flu virus-related cases will continue to happen, especially in winters, but we cannot say that what had happened before will happen again. It is very unlikely but you have to remain vigilant. Though JN.1 seems more transmissible, the vaccine and infection-acquired immunity can still shield us from hospitalisation and other complications like pneumonia. Should everybody with common cold symptoms get tested as well? You can skip the test if symptoms are mild and you are otherwise healthy but if they are fairly pronounced or severe, get tested immediately, particularly if you have co-morbidities, are over 60 or pregnant. Random testing will help us be on the safer side. What are the typical and atypical symptoms of Covid? Atypical symptoms are diarrhoea and other gastro-intestinal issues. Typical ones include body ache, sore throat, cold, muscle pain and headache. What medicine to take with onset of symptoms? Paracetamol is the safest but it has to be used judiciously as it can lead to gastritis and worsen kidney issues. We have to use it carefully for the elderly and diabetics too. But it’s the safest bet so far. At what stage should I see a doctor? Should symptoms continue beyond two days, consult a doctor. If you have fever higher than 100 degree Fahrenheit on day three with persistent cough and intense body ache, you need to rush to a doctor. How bad can the bouts of diarrhoea be in Covid? You may have to use the washroom up to three times a day and vomit occasionally. Loss of appetite is a very common symptom.
