The most (and least) common symptoms of Covid in 2021

Fatigue, headaches, and cough were the most commonly reported symptoms of people with Covid-19 earlier this year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (ONS).

Symptoms were measured between December 1, 2020 and March 22, 2021, and were taken from people who had a “strongly positive” test result.

You may notice that these symptoms are slightly different from the classic symptoms NHS warns people to be careful: New, continuous cough, high temperature, and loss or change of smell or taste.

Sarah Crofts, senior statistician at the ONS Covid-19 Infection Survey, said the findings highlight a range of symptoms that people may experience with the virus.

“The typical symptoms of fatigue, headaches and coughing are still most commonly reported by people infected with the virus,” she said.

Most (and least) common symptoms

In March of this year, 29% of those who had a “strongly positive” Covid test reported fatigue, 28% reported a cough, and 26% reported a headache.

Overall, 36% of people report three classic symptoms, according to ONS data. In addition to the above cough (28%), these include fever (20%), shortness of breath (12%), taste loss (14%), and odor loss (14%).

The most rare symptoms of Covid in March 2021 were diarrhea (6%) and abdominal pain (6%).

Overall, 47% of those who tested positive were symptomatic, and 53% were asymptomatic (meaning asymptomatic) despite the presence of high levels of the virus in the body. “This emphasizes that people can unknowingly get infected with the virus and infect others,” Croft said.

During September The UK Covid Symptom Study app lists headaches, malaise, loss of smell, fever, and persistent cough. As the 5 most common symptoms of Covid-19.

Professor Tim Spector, a senior researcher at King’s College London at the time, told the HuffPost UK that his symptoms haven’t changed significantly since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. Nevertheless, symptoms such as fatigue and headaches are tests that do not yet require PCR.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – Provides guidance, advice, and information services to health, public health, and social care professionals – Lists some of Covid’s symptoms in three categories: Mild, moderate and severe illness. The definition is based on information from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Mild illness

According to NICE, most people in Covid experience fever, cough, malaise, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and pain. Other non-specific symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy nose, headache, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting have also been reported.

It is worth noting that children report fever and cough less often than adults.

Elderly people and immunosuppressed people may have atypical symptoms such as decreased alertness, decreased mobility, diarrhea, loss of appetite, confusion, and lack of fever.

Other symptoms of “mild illness” are:

Loss of smell or loss of taste

Neurological symptoms such as dizziness, agitation, weakness, seizures, or findings suggestive of a stroke, such as speech or visual problems, loss of sensation, or balance problems when standing or walking.

Moderate illness

It refers to pneumonia and represents an adolescent or adult with clinical signs of pneumonia (fever, cough, dyspnea, dyspnea) but no signs of severe pneumonia.

In children, symptoms include coughing and dyspnea, as well as fast breathing and chest withdrawal. [the inward movement of the lower chest wall when the child breathes in] – And there are no signs of severe pneumonia.

Severe illness

In some cases, people continue to develop severe pneumonia. According to NICE, clinical signs of this include the typical symptoms of pneumonia (fever, cough, dyspnea, dyspnea), as well as one of the following: Severe dyspnea; or less than 90% oxygen saturation.

In children, in addition to coughing or dyspnea, at least one of the following appears: Blue discoloration on tongue and lips or less than 90% oxygen saturation. Severe dyspnea (eg, fast breathing, growls, very severe chest aspiration) or inability to breastfeed or drink, lethargy or unconsciousness, or convulsions.