Key symptoms to look out for as people across the country battle ‘worst flu ever’

Chances are if you've spoken to another human over the past couple of weeks, you'll have heard about how they've been totally wiped out by this god-awful cold and flu that's going around.

Or, if you're unlucky enough, you may have been struck down by it yourself.

There seems to be a very intense flu ruthlessly making its way around and leaving people feeling tired, hot, then cold, then hot again.

While it's not entirely clear what exactly is going on yet - many influencers have taken to social media to bemoan the latest sickness.

While some people are sure it's a resurgence of Covid or a new strain, others think it may be a particularly destructive common cold.

TikToker Flossie Clegg took to the platform to ask: "What in the Ebola x Covid x Swine Flu is this illness?", prompting a flurry of responses.

One person wrote: "I’m in London too and I literally had the wooorst flu last week, thought I was gonna pass away."

Another said: "Never been so unwell, Had it for over 4 weeks. it won’t leave."

It has been reported that Covid is back on the rise, with the BBC stating: "Every July for the past four years, epidemiologists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have noted a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations, an annual trend which has been dubbed "the summertime surge."

They continued: "Infection transmission experts in the UK suggest that an increase in people gathering in crowded pub gardens and bars to follow this summer’s Euro 2024 football tournament is likely to be behind many of the country’s recent Covid-19 cases."

So, in the interest of your best health, here are some symptoms of colds, flus and Covid to look out for - so you're best prepared to deal with what may come.

Common cold

The NHS have put forward the following symptoms that come on gradually:

• a blocked or runny nose
• a sore throat
• headaches
• muscle aches
• coughs
• sneezing
• a raised temperature
• pressure in your ears and face
• loss of taste and smell

Flu

Unlike common colds, they come on very suddenly and symptoms include:

• a sudden high temperature
• an aching body
• feeling tired or exhausted
• a dry cough
• a sore throat
• a headache
• difficulty sleeping
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea or tummy pain
• feeling sick and being sick

Covid-19

Symptoms can be very similar are very similar to both colds and flus - so you should always check to be sure.

• a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• shortness of breath
• feeling tired or exhausted
• an aching body
• a headache
• a sore throat
• a blocked or runny nose
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea
• feeling sick or being sick

For some expert advice in the UK, call 111.