Covid: How to protect yourself from getting sick as illness sweeps UK

Brits appear to be coming down with coughs and colds across the country at the moment, with the common cold, Covid and possibly flu cases rising. UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) monitoring shows positive tests for COVID-19 increasing while the common cold appears to be spreading most.

The return of children to school, more adults at work mixing after the summer holidays and Brits spending less time outdoors as temperatures drop mean respiratory viruses are burgeoning. Prof Jonathan Ball, from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said: "This is normal, it's autumn after all."

He told the BBC: "Basically we have a big mixing pot of different viruses that are beginning to do the rounds. Immunity has waned and people are getting ill."

The main symptoms of rhinovirus, known as the common cold, include a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat, a hoarse voice, a cough as well as feeling tired and unwell, according to UKHSA.

Sufferers may also have a high temperature, aching muscles, a loss of taste and smell and a feeling of pressure in the ears and face.

The NHS advises those with a common cold to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluid, eat healthy food and gargle salt water to soothe a sore throat, though this is not suitable for children.

It also recommends drinking a hot lemon and honey drink to soothe a sore throat and to breathe in steam to ease a blocked nose.

Smoking can worsen cold symptoms and children shouldn't be allowed to breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water as it could risk scalding them. Under 16s shouldn't be given aspirin.

Flu is a viral infection which affects the nose, throat and lungs, mostly during winter. It is much worse than a cold, according to UKHSA.

Symptoms of a cold usually appear gradually without causing the fever or body aches, which usually happen with flu. Signs and symptoms of flu develop very rapidly and it is common to feel extreme tiredness.

Flu can lead to serious illness, especially in children. There are thousands of hospitalisations each winter. Older people, those with a weakened immune system and people with some long-term health conditions are at an elevated risk.

In winter 2024, there were about 8,000 deaths associated with flu. This compares to approximately 3,500 deaths recorded the year before, but lower than during the 2022 to 2023 season, when there were about 16,000 deaths.

The NHS advises sufferers to get rest and sleep and to keep warm. Paracetamol or ibuprofen should be taken to lower your temperature and to treat aches and pains.

Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be given to a child if they're distressed or uncomfortable, but check the packaging or leaflet to make sure the medicine is suitable for them. Speak to a pharmacist or GP if you're unsure

Flu-sufferers should drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (when you pee it should be light yellow or clear).

UKHSA said COVID-19 symptoms change over time. Many people now experience cold-like symptoms and some will also experience fever or chills, continuous cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, body aches, headache, sore throat, blocked nose, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhoea, or a change in their sense of taste or smell.

Some people report a hoarse voice or a painful sore throat, linked to the latest variants. This has been referred to as "razor-blade throat".

The National Health Service says local NHS organisations are responsible for arranging Covid treatments. The way to get treatment depends on where you live.

Your local integrated care board or GP surgery can give you more information.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major virus which is common over winter and typically from November to February. It can spread through coughs and sneezes.

Symptoms include cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, tiredness and fever, according to UKHSA.

While the government agency said the symptoms are mild for many, RSV can cause bronchiolitis in infants. This can make it difficult for them to feed and breathe.

In older adults RSV can also be severe, causing pneumonia and flare-ups of existing lung disease and other long-term conditions.

There's no specific treatment for an RSV infection. According to the NHS, RSV often gets better on its own in one or two weeks. You can usually look after yourself or your child at home.

Children and adults who get a more serious infection may need to be treated in hospital.

To ease the symptoms, take paracetamol or ibruprofen if you have a high temperature or feel uncomfortable. Children can be given the same medicines but check the leaflet to ensure it's suitable for your child.

If your child's nose is block, you can use saline nose drops from a pharmacy. The NHS also recommends drinking plenty of fluids.