New COVID variant: When to get tested amid fears of XBB.1.5 and Omicron BF.7?

What are the symptoms of new variants of COVID?

According to the studies, there are no symptoms specific to the new variants and they are more or less similar to the previous variants. And the main symptoms linked to the variant include sore throat, cough, muscle aches, fatigue, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, and fever.

The experts also pointed out that the symptoms of the new variants are “cold-like”.

What are the striking differences between the common cold and COVID?

One can start seeing symptoms of COVID anytime from 2 to 14 days after exposure to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, cold symptoms usually appear 1 to 3 days after exposure to a virus that causes colds.

“Unlike COVID-19, a cold is usually harmless. Most people recover from a cold in 3 to 10 days. But some colds can last up to two or three weeks,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

When to get tested for the infection?

If you have the symptoms, get tested immediately, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) quoted.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and are not showing symptoms, the health body recommends waiting at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too soon, you risk getting an inaccurate COVID test result.

Why is it important to get tested?

Coronavirus symptoms are much milder now, but even then, it’s important to take the proper medications and follow COVID-appropriate behavior in case you catch the virus.

First of all, even if the first symptoms of the infection are perceived as milder, the long-term effects of the disease are still not known. Second, if the virus manages to circulate, the chances of it mutating and the emergence of more dangerous variants become higher.