A leading pharmacist has issued a warning to people who test positive for Covid, urging them to isolate at home for five days in order to stem the spread of two contagious new strains of the virus.
The alert comes as the dominant 'Stratus' and 'Nimbus' variants continue to wreak havoc across the UK.
The latest Government figures show that the number of confirmed cases has risen by 22.2% across a seven-day period up to September 24 (the latest available figures), while there was a 5.1% rise in deaths in the space of a week.
On Wednesday, some hospitals in England and Wales reintroduced mandatory face masks in specific departments in a bid to curb the spread.
As reported by WalesOnline, health experts are warning members of the public that a key symptom of the latest variants is a hoarse or 'razor blade' sore throat.
George Sandhu, deputy superintendent of Well Pharmacy, is urging anyone displaying this tell-tale symptom to get a Covid test - as infection numbers continue to rise.
It comes five years after millions of Brits were forced to stay indoors and work from home during the nationwide lockdowns of the global pandemic.
Now, Mr Sandhu wants Brits to ensure they follow the latest NHS guidelines as the two new variants continue to spread across the nation.
Official NHS advice recommends that people over the age of 18 who test positive for Covid should stay at home and avoid contact with other households for five days.
For those under 18, the advice drops to three days because children and young adults tend to be infectious for less time than adults.
Anyone who tests positive and has elderly or vulnerable people in their lives - especially those with a weakened immune system - the NHS advice is to wait ten days before seeing them.
It is important to remain hydrated when dealing with a Covid infection because it is known to leave those infected with headaches and a blocked or runny nose. As well as offering Covid antigen tests, Well Pharmacy offers a Covid booster vaccine service.
George Sandhu said: "The best way to know if you have Covid is to head to your local pharmacy and pick up a test.
"In the winter months, it can be difficult to know whether you have a cold, flu or Covid because they share similar symptoms."
He continued: "If a test confirms you have Covid, you should stay indoors and rest, avoiding contact with other people and wait until you test negative. Younger people seem to be infectious for less time than adults and so usually within three days it is possible that they may be testing negative.
"If you're over 18 then it is recommended that you wait five days to have contact with anyone as this is usually when most over 18's begin to test negative for Covid.
"It's important that everyone does their part, if you are testing positive for Covid then please do follow the NHS guidelines and don't go to crowded places."