Chills, loss of appetite, and headaches can also be symptoms of Covid-19: UK study

In addition to known or so-called classic symptoms such as loss of smell and taste, fever, and new persistent cough, these broader symptoms were noted, but about 60% of infected people had the next week. Did not report any symptoms to. Their test, Imperial College London, led a real-time assessment (REACT) study of community infections revealed on Wednesday.

“These new findings suggest that many people with COVID-19 will not be tested-thus their symptoms are used in current public health guidance to help identify infected individuals. I don’t self-isolate because it doesn’t match my symptoms. ” Professor Paul Elliott, director of the Imperial REACT program.

“We understand that clear testing standards are needed and that people are at risk of unnecessary self-isolation, including many of the symptoms commonly found in other illnesses such as seasonal flu. Our findings on the most beneficial symptoms help the test program use the latest evidence to identify more infected people, “he said.

The cotton swab tests and questionnaires collected between June 2020 and January 2021 as part of the study found that among these other symptoms were chills, loss of appetite, headache, and muscle aches, four so-called classics. It was shown to be most strongly associated with infection, along with other symptoms.

Having either of these other symptoms or classic symptoms alone or in combination is associated with coronavirus infection, and the more symptoms there are, the more likely the test will be positive. I will.

The study also found that symptoms vary with age. Chills were associated with positive tests at all ages, but headache was reported in adolescents aged 5 to 17, loss of appetite in 18 to 54 and 55 years, and myalgia in 18 to 54 years. Infected people aged 5 to 17 years were less likely to report fever, persistent cough, and loss of appetite than adults.

The study also investigated whether the emergence of a new UK coronavirus variant first identified in Kent was associated with a different profile of symptoms. Symptoms were generally similar, but in January of this year, compared to November-December 2020, loss or change in olfaction did not affect the prediction of COVID-19, but of new persistence. The proportion of people who tested positive for cough seems to have increased.

“As the epidemic progresses and new variants emerge, we can continue to monitor how the virus affects people and meet the changing needs of our testing programs,” said Dr. Joshua Elliott of Imperial College London’s School of Public Health. It is essential to do so. “

“We hope that our data will help develop testing guidance and systems that will help us better identify who should be tested for COVID-19 based on their symptoms,” he said.

British people are currently encouraged to undergo the COVID-19 test if they have at least one of four typical symptoms: taste loss, olfactory loss, fever, and a new persistent cough. This is called the “second pillar test”.

Based on the results of the new REACT study, researchers estimate that the current second pillar test will pick up about half of all symptomatological infections if all eligible people are tested. However, if additional symptoms are included, this can be improved to three-quarters of symptomatological infections.

The findings, released as a preprint report prior to peer review, are part of REACT-1’s ongoing analysis stream, led by Imperial College London and in collaboration with Ipsos MORI. A real-time assessment program for community infections is funded by the Government Ministry of Health.