Sore Throat

A sore throat, or pharyngitis, causes pain or a scratchy sensation in the back of your throat, and it makes swallowing difficult. The pain usually develops suddenly and may worsen quickly, depending on the cause.

Viral infections, like a cold or the flu, are the most common causes of a sore throat. A sore throat is also one of the early symptoms of COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the newly identified coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since its discovery in late 2019, millions of people around the world have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. 

The highly contagious virus spreads from person to person through droplets expelled into the air after someone with the infection coughs, sneezes, or talks.

Though COVID-19 causes mild to moderate symptoms in most people, in some cases, the virus leads to serious health complications and even death. 

Older adults and people with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, or severe heart disease, are at greater risk of developing life-threatening symptoms from COVID-19.

Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear within 2-14 days of infection. Some of the early symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Loss of sense of taste or smell

With COVID-19, you may also experience shortness of breath, congestion, runny nose, muscle aches, or headache.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms and have concerns about COVID-19, the team at Getuwell can talk to you about testing. 

You may need testing for COVID-19 if you have a sore throat, other common symptoms of the respiratory disease, and you had close contact with someone who tested positive.

Getuwell provides viral testing for COVID. They use the molecular-based rT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) viral test, which is the most sensitive test for COVID.

Testing takes only five minutes, and results are provided within three days, if not sooner. While you wait for your test results, the team recommends you self-quarantine to prevent further spreading of the virus. 

Your sore throat may be an early symptom of COVID. Getting tested may help stop further spreading of the highly contagious virus. Call Getuwell or request an appointment online to see if you should get tested.