3. Telling Them Apart: When to Suspect It’s More Than a Cold
This simple table can help you quickly compare symptoms, but remember the key differentiator.
| Common Upper Respiratory Infection | Potential New COVID-19 Variant (Nimbus) |
| • Runny nose / Congestion<br>• Cough<br>• Fatigue<br>• Standard, scratchy sore throat | • Runny nose / Congestion<br>• Cough<br>• Fatigue<br>• Sharp, “razor-like” sore throat<br>• Swollen neck lymph nodes |
Because the general symptoms are so similar to the flu and other viruses, the only way to confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis is through testing. Relying on symptoms alone is not enough to be certain.
This brings us to the most important step for getting a clear answer.