Does COVID-19 Cause a Sore Throat? (2024)

A sore throat is a common symptom of many illnesses and can occur with COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a sore throat is one of a dozen symptoms commonly seen in people with COVID, alongside fever and a loss of taste or smell.

Even so, sore throat rarely occurs on its own if you have COVID and could be due to a cold or flu. Also, not all COVID infections involve sore throat. When it occurs, it tends to do so during the early part of the infection.

This article will explain how common sore throat is with COVID-19, how it feels, and how a COVID sore throat compares to sore throats caused by other illnesses.

What Does a COVID-19 Sore Throat Feel Like?

There is no real difference between a sore throat caused by COVID-19 and one caused by an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) like the common cold, strep throat, or flu.

When a sore throat is present with COVID, it is typically described as:

• Being scratchy
• Causing redness and swelling
• Accompanied by a dry cough with hoarseness
  

In short, it differs little from many other possible causes of sore throat.

What can make a COVID sore throat different is the types of symptoms that may accompany it along with the timing and duration of symptoms.

How Common Is Sore Throat With COVID-19?

According to the CDC, COVID-19 is characterized by the following 12 symptoms, ranging from mild to severe:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Loss of smell
• Loss of taste
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

You do not have to have all of these symptoms, and some cases of COVID may only have a few. Some of these symptoms are less common than others, and if you're experiencing only one, it may not indicate COVID.

In fact, a 2023 study reported that sore throat, shortness of breath, and nasal congestion were three symptoms that decreased the likelihood of COVID as the cause of a URTI. In such cases, it is more likely that you have an infection like influenza (flu) rather than COVID.

On the flip side, experiencing the loss of taste increased the likelihood of COVID by almost 22-fold. A sore throat, by contrast, was associated with only a 0.2% likelihood of COVID.

Fever, fatigue, cough, and muscle or joint pain are symptoms equally common with both COVID and flu.

How Long Does a Sore Throat From COVID-19 Last?

Symptoms of COVID-19 occur two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. If a sore throat were to occur, studies suggest that it would typically do so at the onset of the infection along with a fever. Afterward, sore throat tends to subside as symptoms like cough, headache, body aches, and a loss of taste and smell begin.

This differs from other viral URTIs like flu, in which symptoms develop one to four days after exposure. Whereas sore throat may gradually ease with COVID, it tends to persist with influenza even after fever and other symptoms subside.

Recovering from COVID often takes a few weeks, with some people developing symptoms that can persist for months. In contrast, most people with the flu will recover on their own within a few days to two weeks.

Sore Throat in Long COVID

Long COVID describes ongoing health problems that affect some people with COVID after the initial infection has cleared. People with long COVID may have symptoms lasting for weeks, months, and years even though there is no evidence of the virus in their blood.

A persistent sore throat is not a symptom of long COVID and is more likely related to other conditions, including allergies, smoking, or acid reflux.

If you have long COVID, you are more likely to experience:

• Persistent low-grade fever
• Chronic fatigue
• "Brain fog"
• Worsening symptoms after physical or mental exertion
• Coughing
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Joint pain
• Changes in smell or taste

Non-COVID Causes of Sore Throat

A sore throat does not always mean COVID-19 and, on its own, is an unlikely cause. Other possible causes of a sore throat include:

• Strep throat: Caused by the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, strep throat causes fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, inflamed tonsils, and small red spots at the roof of the mouth.
• Common cold: This can be caused by several different viruses. In addition to sore throat, a cold can cause fatigue, stuffy nose, headache, sneezing, and coughing.
• Influenza: Caused by one of two influenza viruses, the flu produces symptoms similar to the common cold, although they tend to be much worse, causing fever, chills, and body aches.
• Tonsillitis: This is an infection of the tonsils by viruses and bacteria. Tonsillitis can also cause sore throat, swollen tonsils and lymph nodes, and fever.
• Laryngitis: Laryngitis refers to inflammation of the larynx (voice box) that can cause a sore throat alongside voice loss, a tickling sensation in the throat, a dry throat, and a dry cough.
• Other viral infections: Additional viral infections that can lead to a sore throat include mononucleosis, chickenpox, measles, and mumps.
• Throat injury: You can experience a sore throat after a traumatic injury to the throat, such as a car accident, physical assault, or sports injury.
  

How Do You Tell the Difference?

Determining the cause of sore throat may be possible to some degree based on your symptoms. By way of comparison:

• COVID-19 vs. common cold: COVID-19 can cause a loss of smell or taste, while other causes generally do not. Common cold symptoms come on gradually, and fever and shortness of breath are rare with the common cold.
  
• COVID-19 vs influenza: Like COVID-19, the symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and get worse quickly. However, COVID-19 symptoms tend to be more severe and could last weeks, while most people with the flu get better in about five to seven days.
• COVID-19 vs. strep throat: Strep throat will come on quickly, and most people with this condition will have a high fever. Strep throat will typically not cause a cough or a runny nose, which are more common with COVID-19.
  
• COVID-19 vs. allergies: Allergies can cause a sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing. Allergies will not present with fever, body aches, fatigue, or shortness of breath like COVID-19.
  

Treatments to Manage COVID Throat Pain

There is no cure for a COVID-19 sore throat. It will improve on its own. But there are things you can try to ease throat pain and discomfort.

You can try one or more of these home remedies to manage your sore throat pain:

• Cold drinks and foods: Numb throat pain with ice water, cold juices, popsicles, and ice cream.
• Warm drinks: Broths and tea with honey can help soothe throat pain.
• Saltwater gargle: Mix about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of water.
• Throat lozenges and sprays: Over-the-counter (OTC) anesthetics containing benzocaine help.
• Use a humidifier: This can add moisture to the air to help ease throat irritation.
• OTC painkillers: Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (ibuprofen), and Aleve (naproxen) can all help.
• Rest your throat: LImit talking and avoid crunchy foods with sharp edges, spicy and acidic foods, and smoking.

If you are at high risk for complications from COVID-19, your healthcare provider might prescribe an antiviral like Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) to keep you from getting severely sick.

When to Get Tested

If you have symptoms of COVID, you can get tested to confirm your suspicion.

If you do not have symptoms but have been exposed to COVID, you should wait at least five days to get tested. Testing too early can lead to a false-negative result. This is especially true with at-home rapid antigen tests available at most pharmacies.

A lab-based test called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is far more sensitive and can detect COVID early based on the virus' genetic signature.

Symptoms That Warrant a Provider Visit

You should contact your healthcare provider if you test positive for COVID-19. They can determine your risk of complications and advise you of the appropriate treatment based on your risk factors.

• Being over 65
• Having obesity
• Having chronic liver, kidney, or lung disease
• Having diabetes
• Having heart disease
• Having cancer
• Having HIV or other causes of a compromised immune system

While less common than they used to be, false-positive test results do still occur with COVID-19.

Although most cases of COVID-19 can be treated at home with rest and OTC medications, others require immediate emergency care.

Summary

A sore throat is one of the symptoms commonly seen with COVID-19. It can occur as an early symptom of COVID but rarely occurs on its own. If it does, it is more likely due to other causes, such as a cold, flu, and strep throat.

You can use OTC pain relievers and anesthetic lozenges or sprays to manage sore throat pain. Resting your throat, sipping broth, and eating cold foods can also help. Antiviral medications may be prescribed if you test positive for COVID and are at high risk of complications.