According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respiratory illness has reached "high" or "very high" levels in at least 16 state or big city health departments. This increase in illness is a result of the accelerated trends of COVID-19 and influenza across many parts of the country. Although a new COVID variant called JN.1 is believed to be driving a significant portion of the current wave of infections, officials have not observed any new or unusual symptoms caused by the virus.
Here is the latest information regarding this winter's wave:
Have COVID-19 symptoms changed?
Experts warn that identifying subtle changes in symptoms caused by different COVID-19 variants is challenging due to the wide range of antibodies people have from vaccinations, previous infections, or both.
"The types and severity of symptoms usually depend more on a person's immunity and overall health rather than the specific variant causing the infection," stated the CDC.
New survey data from the United Kingdom's health authorities, where COVID-19 and influenza trends
- Runny Nose (31.1%)
- Cough (22.9%)
- Headache (20.1%)
- Weakness or tiredness (19.6%)
- Muscle ache (15.8%)
- Sore throat (13.2%)
- Trouble sleeping (10.8%)
- Worry or anxiety (10.5%)
How those symptoms differ depending on whether people are specifically testing positive for COVID-19 versus other infections is not yet clear, though the U.K. Health Security Agency's Jonathon Mellor said Thursday that those more detailed analyses could come once their sample size grows.
Research through last winter, co-authored by health authorities in the U.K., found symptoms were similar for COVID-19 and other germs that often drive respiratory illnesses during the winter.
"Cough, sore throat, sneezing, fatigue and headache were all among the most commonly reported symptoms for each of the three infections, suggesting that discriminating between SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV based on symptoms alone may prove challenging," they wrote in a preprint, that has not been peer-reviewed, released in October.
That is also in line with other research from previous waves of COVID-19.
Research through 2022 from the CDC's nationwide household transmission study, released
Most Common COVID-19 Symptoms
- Any symptom (77%)
- Cough (63%)
- Fever (48%)
- Shortness of breath (22%)
- Change of taste or smell (20%)
The exception to this is reports of change in taste or smell, which declined from 42% early in the pandemic. Unlike many other COVID-19 symptoms, researchers around the world have confirmed a of loss of taste or smell — a symptom that was much more common when COVID first swept the globe.
Faster Incubation Period?
Other subtle changes that scientists have tracked to the virus is a gradual decline in the "incubation period," or length of time that it takes for people to get sick after being exposed to COVID-19.
Research published by the CDC from authors in Japan and Singapore earlier this year found this time may have shortened to as little as 2 to 3 days on average.
Long COVID Rates and Symptoms
Data suggests long COVID rates may have declined since the beginning of the pandemic. Exact definitions vary, but the CDC generally considers long or "post-COVID" conditions to be symptoms that persist or emerge at least four weeks after otherwise recovering from the virus.
According to a study conducted by the CDC, approximately 1 in 10 adults who had previously contracted COVID-19 were experiencing long COVID at the end of the study period. This emphasizes the ongoing importance of COVID-19 prevention measures, including vaccination. The prevalence of long COVID among individuals who had previously been infected with COVID-19 has remained unchanged since January 2023.
In another analysis by the CDC, a separate study published in the medical journal JAMA in May identified 12 symptoms that are most commonly associated with long COVID. These symptoms include post-exertional malaise (debilitating fatigue that worsens after physical or mental activity), fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations, issues with sexual desire or capacity, loss of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, and abnormal movements.
Have COVID-19 testing recommendations changed?
Guidance from U.S. authorities on testing and treatment remains largely unchanged for this winter. For most COVID-19 home tests, such as the free rapid antigen kits that all American households can request from the Biden administration this winter, the FDA's guidance remains unchanged since last winter.
- More free COVID-19 tests can be ordered now. Here's how.
If you receive a negative result from the antigen test initially, but have symptoms or believe you were exposed to the virus, the FDA states that you should swab your nose "again 48 hours later."
These findings emerged from studies supported by the FDA and the National Institutes of Health earlier in the pandemic, which demonstrated a reduction in the likelihood of false negative results from antigen tests after repeated testing.
It is important to note that these recommendations are specific to antigen tests, which the CDC states "are generally less sensitive" in detecting infections.
Home molecular tests for COVID-19, such as the Lucira kit from Pfizer that was initially approved by the FDA in February for testing influenza as well, have shown more accurate results. In studies, the test correctly identified 88.3% of positive COVID-19 samples.
Another approach that has been suggested to improve the accuracy of COVID testing is to also swab inside the throat or mouth, similar to certain tests conducted in many countries abroad. However, this method has not yet been authorized by the FDA for use in home tests, partly due to safety concerns. Nevertheless, the agency has expressed openness to considering it.
COVID-19 Testing: FDA Open to Reviewing Tests with Novel Sample Types
According to an FDA spokesperson, James McKinney, there are currently no FDA-authorized COVID-19 tests for self-collection of throat swabs. However, the FDA is willing to review tests that utilize novel sample types, McKinney told CBS News.
A recent study conducted in Denmark and published this month found that combining self-collected nose and throat swabs increased the sensitivity of testing by 15.5 percentage points. The study's findings suggest that utilizing multiple sample types could improve the accuracy of COVID-19 testing.
McKinney emphasized that the FDA would evaluate any new testing devices for safety and effectiveness, taking into consideration any potential safety concerns associated with self-collection of throat swabs. Self-collection of throat swabs is more complex than nasal swabs, and if done incorrectly, it could potentially harm the patient.
