NHS issues advice for 'brutal' cold taking over UK

A cold that many have described as "brutal" is sweeping the nation, and now the NHS has offered some advice to ease symptoms.

In a viral Reddit thread, many concerned users complained of an "unshiftable cold," with one frustrated Brit writing: "I’m sitting at home since Wednesday, on week 2 of whatever the f*** I got. Congested, throat is f***ed, never-ending headaches, dry cough, joint aches and fever. It’s horrible."

Another agreed, claiming they've had symptoms for over a month.

"It started with one day being a sore throat to the next day coughing nonstop. All that went away after a few days, which then came to the absolute throbbing headaches and blocked nose/yellow mucus from my nose, weird taste at the back of my throat, pain in my cheekbone/nose," they said.

Meanwhile, a third wrote: "There seems to be a bug currently doing the rounds. I’ve heard people say just as you think you’re over the worst of it that it comes back with a vengeance. Some friends have done a Covid test to be sure but it’s always negative. Most seem to just be putting up with it and struggling on hoping it will pass."

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Now, the NHS has reiterated to get plenty of rest and to stay hydrated with water. They also recommended gargling salt water to soothe a sore throat.

"If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better," they added.

Dr William Schaffner, infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University claims that the common cold is feeling more intense because we have gotten used to social distancing measures in the past, which helped the spread of the common cold.

"All of us have forgotten about what common colds used to be like, and we’re getting them now again," he told ABC News.

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