New Covid variants are driving a rise in cases with the FLiRT and FLuQE strains rapidly becoming dominant in the UK, USA and other parts of the world. In the UK, hospitals have brought back mask-wearing in a bid to drive down cases as wards are full and the number of hospitalisations with Covid rises again.
The FLiRT and FLuQE variants of Covid are now believed to be responsible for a 24 per cent increase in hospital admissions related to the virus last month and currently account for about 40 per cent of all Covid cases in the UK.
It is feared the strains may be increasing reports of hay fever symptoms. The NHS estimates that around 20 per cent of UK residents will experience hay fever reactions this summer, following a mid-June report which saw a 147 per cent increase in hayfever sufferers seeking NHS advice, reports the Daily Star.
Those who have previously suffered from hay fever are also reporting more severe symptoms this year, reports the Express. Rebecca Owen, an exercise and sports lecturer at the University of Derby, explained to the Telegraph: “A lot of people have had Covid-19, and infections can make us more susceptible to allergies.”
She added: “They can activate the immune response in what’s called mast cell activation syndrome, so while more studies are needed, it could be that some of those who have been infected with Covid may then develop hay fever.” However, Owen was quick to point out that only testing can truly tell hay fever apart from FLiRT.
According to the NHS, COVID-19 symptoms can include:
- 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
According to the CDC in the USA, the latest symptoms of Covid include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhoea
