COVID-19 symptoms: B.C. physician explains how disease might now appear more like the common cold
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."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
BREAKING Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are headed to St. John's, N.L., after a plane overshot a runway at the city's airport this afternoon.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan.