A fever wasn’t found to be an early symptom of the virus in any age group.
At the time of this writing, the delta variant of the novel coronavirus is now the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 infecting people around the world. While most cases of the original form of COVID-19 were mild in children, the delta variant may be different. That being said, doctors and infectious disease experts aren’t drawing conclusions set in stone just yet. It’s unclear exactly what’s happening out there. Is the Delta variant making kids sicker than the original strain? Or is it simply more contagious and this is resulting in higher case rates in every age group, including in kids?
Here’s a bit of what we do know. At the time of this writing, a record number of children in the US have recently been hospitalized with the virus, up 27% for those aged 0 to 17 years old. Children in Southern states are being hit the hardest.
One of the tricky things about COVID-19 in kids is that kids don’t always have the typical symptoms of a cough and a fever. Sometimes, it seems like they’ve just come down with a bad cold.
So, what about the symptoms of the novel coronavirus in other age groups? Are they consistent? New research is showing they may not be. The symptoms of a coronavirus infection can vary from age to age and furthermore, from women to men. Here’s a look.
How people aged 15 to 69 react to covid-19
You’ve heard it already: the typical symptoms of a COVID-19 infection often include a persistent cough, stomach pain, chest pain, loss of smell, trouble breathing, a fever, and flu-like muscle pain. Some people include soreness of the eyes and blisters on the feet in this list. A study done at King’s College London has shown that these early stage symptoms can not be applied to all age groups equally, however.
In the study, researchers analyzed data from the ZOE COVID Symptom Study, the world’s largest COVID study to date.
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It was found that people who are not elderly typically don’t have a fever as an early symptom of COVID-19. People aged 15-69 may have a constant cough but they don’t necessarily grow hot. You shouldn’t discount the idea that they could have COVID-19, however, even if they don’t have a temperature. Get tested.
As the study’s lead author Claire Steves, Reader at King’s College London, stated,
“It’s important people know the earliest symptoms are wide-ranging and may look different for each member of a family or household.”
How people aged 60 to 80 react to the coronavirus
What else was abnormal? Many people complain of losing their sense of smell with a novel coronavirus infection. For people 60 and over, however, this wasn’t a particularly strong symptom in the study. In fact, this symptom wasn’t seen as relevant at all for people over the age of 80. (Of course, there can always be exceptions).
What was found to be a consistent early symptom in people aged 60 and over was diarrhoea, something you may not associate with a respiratory infection. So, obviously it’s important to think of age when considering a coronavirus infection.
Men vs women: differences in COVID-19 symptoms
The study even found differences between men and women when it came to early symptoms. It was found that men were more likely to feel short of breath. Similarly, they were also more likely to develop chills, shivers, and fatigue. Women, on the other hand, more often reported losing their sense of smell, and having a persistent cough and chest pain.
What does this all amount to? Researchers involved in the study say they’re hoping to encourage a wider range of people to get tested for the virus. They would also like health officials to better educate the public when it comes to early-stage symptoms of COVID-19. It’s important to know how they can differ drastically from one age group to another, and from women to men.
Feel like you may be sick? Get tested and stay home. Above all, seek medical help immediately if you or a loved one needs it.
photo credits: Lyudmyla Kharlamova/Shutterstock.com
