One key symptom that sets Covid apart from a cold, according to expert

COVID-19 and the common cold share many symptoms – but according to Dr Parmar, there is one key difference that can help you tell the two apart

Fiona Callingham Lifestyle writer and Chloe Barrett

13:37, 07 Dec 2025

Covid and the common cold share many of the same symptoms(Image: Ekaterina Goncharova via Getty Images)

If you’re finding it difficult to determine whether you’ve contracted Covid or simply picked up a common cold, there’s one crucial distinction between the two.

Dr Parmar points out that a key indicator of Covid is experiencing breathlessness. This symptom is far less common with an ordinary cold.

“Shortness of breath is rare in both a cold and the flu, but as Covid more so affects the lungs due to inflammation, it is a common symptom,” she told The Mirror.

The NHS website backs up her guidance, listing breathlessness as a sign of Covid rather than flu or a cold. This particular symptom is more commonly linked to illnesses such as Covid or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The nature of your cough might also help distinguish between different ailments. Dr Parmar noted that a cold will produce a “mild” cough, whilst a flu cough tends to be more “dry”, reports Cork Beo.

She said: “With Covid, a cough will be dry and continuous, and many people will cough for more than an hour or have three or more coughing episodes within a day.”

If you’re dealing with a loss of taste or smell, there’s a greater chance you have Covid rather than a cold or flu, though this symptom can occasionally present with all three conditions.

For those with Covid, the NHS recommends that individuals should try to remain at home and limit contact with others if they or their children show symptoms and either have a high temperature or feel too ill to go to work, school, childcare, or undertake normal activities. However, if uncertainty remains about what’s causing the problem, seeking medical advice from your doctor is essential.

Dr Parmar emphasised: “After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to health.”

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