The official list of coronavirus symptoms is expected to be expanded as the current list could lead to missed cases, experts have said.
A high temperature, a new or continuous cough, and a loss or change in smell or taste are the only three “main symptoms” of COVID-19[female[feminine, according to the NHS.
But a group of experts say the UK should follow the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries to update this list, as several more are now regularly reported – especially with the emergence of the Delta (Indian) variant.
The US Centers for Disease Control lists 14 official symptoms, while the WHO has 12.
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 42% of symptomatic people have coughed, 39% suffered from headaches and 38% from fatigue.
A quarter of people reported muscle pain and 32% said they had a sore throat.
By comparison, 33% had a fever, only 21% lost their sense of smell and 15% lost their sense of taste.
A separate study – the ZOE COVID symptom report – recently published data that suggested a headache, sore throat and runny nose are now the most common signs of having coronavirus.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, Dr Alex Crozier – a bioscientist – and Professor Calum Semple – an epidemic doctor on the SAGE government advisory committee – say the small list of official symptoms has various negative effects.
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They argue that this “hampers efforts to interrupt transmission” of the virus because cases with non-traditional symptoms go undetected.
Experts also say that many people cannot access the more accurate PCR tests because they have irregular symptoms. The result is that fewer cases are caught early – when people are most contagious.
They add that non-traditional symptoms “often show up earlier”.
The group of scientists notes, however …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-30 21:39:00
