High street healthcare retailer Superdrug has reported a 319% spike in sales of its Covid lateral flow tests, alongside a 297% increase in cold and flu relief sachets, suggesting a surge of illness across the UK this Summer. The high street retailer also reported a surge in sales of vitamins that can help support immunity and help combat such illnesses, specifically Vitamin D increasing by 116% and Zinc increasing by 58%.

It comes after people gathered in huge crowds in pubs and homes to watch the Euros and Wimbledon. In the most recent week, the rate of people testing positive for Covid in hospital increased from 3.72 per 100,000 to 4.35 per 100,000.

Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, told Sky News: "The waves continue to be driven by a combination of new variants and a partial waning immunity to infection."

But with Covid and the common cold presenting with similar symptoms such as a sore throat, blocked nose, headache and cough it can be difficult to distinguish between the two and treat them effectively. Niamh McMillan, Superdrug’s Pharmacy Superintendent said: “With Covid causing a range of respiratory symptoms, individuals should be aware of the distinct characteristics that may differentiate a Summer cold from one associated with this virus. If you have a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell, it might be time to investigate further and potentially take a Covid test.”

Specific symptoms that differentiate Covid from the common cold include:

  • Fever: A high fever is more commonly associated with Covid. Summer colds might cause a mild fever, but it’s typically lower than those in Covid cases.
  • Loss of taste or smell: Anosmia (loss of taste or smell) is a commonly known symptom of Covid, rarely seen with Summer colds.
  • Fatigue and body aches: Covid often causes extreme fatigue and body aches. While Summer colds can cause tiredness, the level of fatigue is usually less severe.
  • Shortness of breath: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath is more specific to Covid, particularly in more severe cases.
  • Duration of symptoms: Covid symptoms may last longer and change over time. A Summer cold typically resolves within a week to ten days.