In 2020, a dry cough and fever were clear symptoms of COVID-19. If you had a headache accompanied by body aches, that was certainly a clear sign of the disease. When you had a runny nose and a sore throat, you might have been lucky and only had a cold. This was the most rudimentary way to guess the illness and distinguish COVID-19 symptoms from those of other diseases when the pandemic first broke out.
Later, the loss of smell and taste emerged: this was a primary sign indicating you had contracted COVID-19. To this day, it remains a reliable indicator. If you notice a change in taste or smell, it is a warning bell that you have been infected with COVID-19.
However, according to the results of a study in the UK, many other symptoms have clearly changed, likely linked to the variant becoming the dominant strain in many countries around the world. What are the most common symptoms in unvaccinated people? In a study on COVID infected individuals reported their symptoms via an app. The current ranking of COVID-19 symptoms in unvaccinated people is:
Loss of smell has dropped to 9th place on the list, and shortness of breath has even fallen to 30th place. These changes may indicate that previously known symptoms change as virus variants evolve.
What are the most common symptoms in fully vaccinated people? Even those who have been vaccinated can catch the virus. But data confirms that these individuals usually have mild symptoms, and vaccination prevents serious or even life-threatening illness.
The current ranking of COVID-19 symptoms after two vaccine doses is:
Some of these are symptoms we often see in a common cold. The possibility of confusing these two illnesses is very dangerous and may have played a role in the spread of the Delta variant in the UK. Because symptoms will likely continue to change, remaining vigilant and cautious is never unnecessary. Measures such as thorough hand washing, wearing masks, and keeping a distance of 1.5 meters from others remain the principles that help prevent the spread of the disease.