The Delta variant, identified for the first time in India, is mainly present in the United Kingdom. This is why British researchers were able to highlight the symptoms of the Delta variant, which are different from the symptoms of the original coronavirus.

It has been shown that the Delta variant is 60 times more transmissible than the Alpha variant. This is what explained Tim Spector, who is professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London “ On average, a person with the Delta variant infects six others without health restrictions “. It is thanks to the ZOE study and its application, which references the main symptoms of Covid-19 since May, that certain signs have appeared more clearly since the appearance of the Delta variant in the United Kingdom. Scientists have found that the symptoms “ are not the same as before “. This is because people infected with the Delta variant have headaches, a runny nose and pain in the throat. The difficulty lies in the fact that in practice these symptoms can be confused with those of a cold or the flu. Therefore, “ This means that people think they have a seasonal cold, so they keep going out to party, and therefore unknowingly can spread the virus around. “Said Tim Spector. On the other hand, the epidemiologist indicates that “ Coughing is increasingly rare, and loss of smell is no longer one of the main symptoms. ».

In the United Kingdom, it is the elderly or frail who were first vaccinated, as in France. The young population is only partially vaccinated, or even has not yet received a dose of serum. Therefore, people between the ages of 20 and 29 and under the age of 19 are most affected by the Delta variant. Young people are less likely to have a severe form of Covid-19, which could explain why the symptoms of the Delta variant are “ less serious “. For Tim Spector, “ It looks more like a bad cold in younger populations and people don’t realize it “. This is what prompts him to urge everyone to remain cautious and take precautions if some of these signs appear, because “ it is very important to reduce the transmission of the virus, especially among the youngest ».