Top doctors explain why trying to find out whether you've got Covid is hard - and how this new variant differs

Viruses common in winter can make some people seriously unwell and result in grave problems that may need hospital care, says the NHS. They can even be life threatening.

And three of these viruses are floating around right now, dubbed by the health service as the 'tripledemic' - including RSV, flu, and the new XEC coronavirus variant. Many people up and down the country are complaining of familiar, and very similar, symptoms as the cold weather sets in and children mix bugs at school.

But if you've been struggling to figure out what exactly you've come down with lately, you're not alone. The Manchester Evening News spoke to Greater Manchester's top doctor about the different viruses, why it's hard to distinguish between them, and how hard it is to find out exactly how bad the spread is getting.

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The three viruses - RSV, Covid, and flu - have symptoms that overlap so much it can be hard to tell the difference. Dr Helen Wall, who is the clinical director of population health in Greater Manchester, said: “We’re seeing an increase in respiratory infections, you see that every time the weather changes, and there’s always a rise when the children go back to school.

"“But whether that’s Covid is really difficult to say because a lot of the symptoms blur together with other illnesses that are prevalent at this time of year. Whether it’s Covid versus flu is hard to separate.

“People who have the flu tend to be extremely unwell. Sometimes, people say they’ve got the flu but have actually got a bad cold.

“Generally, if you’ve got true flu, you’re bed bound. With Covid, you might actually be quite well. You might be coughing and having