New Covid symptoms make the list

Nine more symptoms - 9th May 2022

The UK has named nine new Covid symptoms. These signs of Covid-19 were added to the list two years after the pandemic started. But the National Health Service (NHS) wants the public to be careful. The new symptoms "are very similar" to symptoms of colds and flu.

The World Health Organisation and countries like the US had included these symptoms. But in the UK, there were debates. They argued over which symptoms to include. The first list only had three symptoms. These were a fever, a cough, and loss of sense of taste or smell.

The list now includes shortness of breath and feeling tired. Body aches, a headache, sore throat and blocked or runny nose were also added. It also lists loss of appetite, diarrhoea and being sick as symptoms.

The UK recorded 4.9 million Covid cases in the last week of March. This was the week before free Covid testing ended.

The NHS warns that people should still be careful. People with Covid symptoms and a fever should stay home.

Professor Tim Spector studies the data on Covid symptoms. He was trying to get the government to add more symptoms to the list. But this took the government two years to do.