COVID-19 symptoms: B.C. physician explains how disease might now appear more like the common cold

Vancouver -

A new study out of the U.K. says COVID-19 symptoms may be changing and appearing milder, but one B.C. doctor says that shift isn't necessarily a good thing.

CTV Morning Live spoke with family physician Rhonda Low on Tuesday about this change in symptoms.

"This is something that folks really need to be aware of because they may have COVID, be infectious and not know it," Low said.

"Remember we've been taught to recognize that COVID symptoms are fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and loss of sense of smell or taste."

However, findings from the new U.K. study suggest the top reported symptoms since May are a runny nose, sore throat, headache and fever.

"Cough is much less common as is loss of sense of smell or taste," Low said. "These cold-like symptoms seem to be appearing more and more in those folks under the age of 40 and, interestingly, in those who have been vaccinated."

Experts have previously explained this could potentially be evolution of the virus, but it may also have something to do with who is getting infected as younger people tend to experience milder symptoms of the disease. 

"Younger folks and especially the partially vaccinated people could have these milder, bad cold-like symptoms," Low said.

"While those traditional symptoms still exist, new data says as more people get their shots, anyone who starts sneezing frequently – even if you're fully vaccinated – should consider getting tested."