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27th November 2023
12:12pm GMT
A "brutal" cold that has left people saying it makes them feel worse than the traditional winter bug is sweeping the UK.
The nasty virus contains symptoms such as headaches, blocked noses, coughs and feeling fatigued.
One person recently shared their experience of the illness on Reddit, revealing that it left them feeling unwell for "weeks".
They said: "Just coming off the back end of a brutal cold that's lasted about 3 weeks, during which my sinuses have been almost completely closed, relaxing only for brief periods while also producing mucus at an alarming rate.
"Emerging from my bed this morning, I could breathe through my nose again. I could smell things. It still feels like somebody poured Ready Brek into the back of my face, but it's finally over and life is beautiful again."
Another user commented: "I caught it in October, I was bedridden for days and then spent another week housebound, constantly looking at my phone to see if it had been 4 hours since my last dose of paracetamol. I'm assuming it's a Covid variant that isn't picked up by the tests, it was worse than any winter bug I'd had before 2020.
"Currently on day 5 of it. Feel absolutely lousy. So much mucus it's ridiculous. Already feeling anxious about having to call in sick again tomorrow but I refuse to go back to work until I'm well enough," said a third.
One theory suggested that it could be a new covid variant sweeping the nation, however those reports have not been confirmed.
A recent NHS report said that 11.7m people in England have had the flu vaccine so far in 2023, with 8.6m taking up another Covid booster, but millions more in vulnerable groups remain at risk.
YorkshireLive recently shared the NHS' advice for if you come down with a respiratory viral infection, advising that you get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and drink a hot lemon and honey drink to soothe a cough.
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