The once-common Covid symptom you can now essentially forget

Remember the early days of the pandemic when a slight sniffle and a high temperature were prevalent symptoms of Covid? That sure feels like a long time ago now. And as we all know, as the virus has mutated, other symptoms have taken centre stage.

In fact, one of the original indicators is probably no longer worth even looking out for. According to the ZOE symptom-tracker app, having a fever isn’t necessarily a sure-fire sign of Covid, with 20 other symptoms now more common.

Professor Tim Spector, of the app, said: ‘It really is a complete waste of everyone’s time to be screening workplaces and care homes... for fever at the moment.’

The app says there are 20 symptoms people should really be looking out for. These are:

1. Sore throat – 63.55 per cent of current cases
2. Runny nose – 53.04 per cent
3. Headache – 53.02 per cent
4. Blocked nose – 52.47 per cent
5. Cough no phlegm – 52.06 per cent
6. Sneezing – 47.02 per cent
7. Cough with phlegm – 45.79 per cent
8. Hoarse voice – 43.86 per cent
9. Muscle pain aches – 29.46 per cent
10. Fatigue – 22.97 per cent
11. Dizzy light headed – 21.11 per cent
12. Altered smell – 19.82 per cent
13. Swollen neck glands – 17.72 per cent
14. Eye soreness – 16.41 per cent
15. Chest pain tightness – 16.26 per cent
16. Shortness of breath – 15.9 per cent
17. Loss of smell – 14.45 per cent
18. Earache – 13.96 per cent
19. Chills or shivers – 12.98 per cent
20. Joint pain shoulders – 11.08 per cent

ICYMI: here’s how to see the partial solar eclipse in the UK this week.

Plus: more UK train strikes are planned for October and November.