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A common cold symptom could also signify that you're suffering from long Covid. Generally, people will recover from a coronavirus infection within a few weeks after symptoms first appear.

However, guidance from the NHS highlights that some people can be afflicted with a more serious illness and their symptoms can occur for much longer. Long Covid, otherwise known as post-COVID syndrome, is typically diagnosed when the symptoms of a Covid infection last longer than 12 weeks.

Full details of the illness are still not clear, with the NHS noting that it's a new condition that is still being studied. Long Covid can be harder to identify for some as the symptoms can vary from person to person.

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Symptoms of long Covid can vary significantly and many people may mistake many of these symptoms for a common cold or flu. For example, a sore throat and runny nose could signify that you either have a cold or long Covid, depending on how long you've been experiencing the symptoms.

Other symptoms can include:

• Problems with your memory and concentration, also called brain fog
• Shortness of breath
• Joint pain and aching muscles
• Feeling extremely tired (fatigue)
• Losing your hair and getting skin rashes, such as hives
• A blocked or runny nose
• Headaches, feeling dizzy and vertigo
• Pins and needles, and aches and pains in different parts of your body
• A cough
• Tummy pain and diarrhoea
• Feeling or being sick, losing weight and not feeling like eating
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• A high temperature
• Changes to your senses, such as problems with your vision, earaches, hearing ringing sounds inside your ear (tinnitus), and differences in your sense of smell or taste
• Anxiety and depression
• A sore throat
• Sudden confusion (delirium), especially in older people
• Chest pain or tightness and noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)

Because long Covid can have a wide array of symptoms, it is first advised that you speak to your GP if you suspect you have it. Typically, a GP will ask you about your symptoms and how long you've had them to help with a diagnosis.

Your GP may also decide to carry out a number of tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms, such as a blood test. They may also measure your heart rate and oxygen levels in your blood.

You could also be referred to undergo further tests such an ECG or an X-ray. In some cases, this may be carried out by a team of specialists at a post-COVID syndrome service.

Further details on NHS advice surrounding long-Covid can be found here.