These Are the Most Common COVID-19 Symptoms Doctors Are Seeing Right Now

The most common COVID-19symptoms doctors expect in June 2026 are a lot of what we’ve come to expect from the respiratory illness, but that doesn’t mean that you should let your guard down whatsoever—especially because the coronavirus can be super dangerous to anyone with a compromised immune system or pre-existing conditions that make them more susceptible to complications. This includes otherwise healthy older people, experts warn.

“COVID-19 will likely follow a pattern in 2026 that is consistent with the later variants of Omicron,” Dr. Ayesha Bryant, MD, MSPH, physician, associate professor and clinical advisor at Alpas Wellness, who also specializes in epidemiology and public health, tells Parade. She adds, “The vast majority of people will experience COVID-19 as an upper respiratory tract illness. However, some will be severely impacted by the virus due to factors including their individual immunity, age and underlying medical conditions.”

The “upper respiratory” type of illness Dr. Bryant mentioned is a bit of a relief, because it means that while COVID still is awful, for most people, it won’t immediately do damage to their lungs, with symptoms being more localized to the nose and throat.

Dr. Jade Le, MD, chief of infectious disease at Access TeleCare, stresses the need for frequent COVID testing if you feel sick, especially since many COVID-19 symptoms in June 2026 overlap with those of the flu, common cold and even strep throat. That said, here’s what you can expect to see if you are unlucky enough to catch it this month, including which specific symptom that faded from prevalence for a while is rearing its ugly, painful head again.

Related: How Long Does Natural Immunity Actually Last After a Spring COVID Infection?

What Are the Most Common COVID-19 Symptoms in June 2026?

Most of the common COVID-19 symptoms in June 2026 will be what you’re used to, including one very specific symptom that previously hit COVID patients hard and dwindled for a bit: A painful sore throat often referred to as “razor blade throat.”

With that in mind, other symptoms are very similar to the ones we’ve seen in recent months. “At this time, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are upper-respiratory or flu-like symptoms as seen with the common cold: runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat and cough, fevers, chills, fatigue, headache, body aches and rarely nausea, vomiting or diarrhea,” Dr. Le says “I have not noticed any unique or new symptoms or patterns, but there are reports of ‘razor blade throat’ or hoarseness or scratchy throat, leading to misdiagnosis of strep throat or allergies.”

The good news? “Fewer patients experience the loss of taste or smell as was noted in 2019-2020,” Dr. Le notes.

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What Are the Most Common COVID-19 Variants Right Now?

Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, MD, assistant professor at Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, tells us, “Based on the most recent surveillance data, the currently predominant SARS-CoV-2 strains are JN.1 descendants (particularly LP.8.1, KP.3.1.1, and XEC), all of which remain within the Omicron lineage. A newly emerging variant, BA.3.2, is also under active surveillance.”

If BA.3.2 sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the cicada variant that first made waves around April 2026. What’s good about that? Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be any more severe than prior strains, according to Dr. Le.

Related: Does the Current COVID Vaccine Protect Against the Latest Mutation?

How Can I Protect Myself from COVID-19?

To be about a decade late and paraphrase Hamilton, don’t throw away your shot! Dr. Bryant urges you to get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster if you haven’t yet.

“Vaccinations continue to demonstrate the greatest benefits in protecting individuals from developing severe forms of COVID-19 and from being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19,” she emphasizes. “While vaccines may vary in effectiveness in their ability to prevent milder cases of COVID-19 infection as viruses evolve, they remain a critical factor in prevention of severe outcomes.”

She adds, “Prevention of severe outcomes includes staying up to date on vaccinations, accessing early testing and treatment opportunities, ensuring improved air circulation indoors, wearing masks in high-risk environments or during outbreaks and providing rapid access to antivirals for high-risk individuals.”

Also very important: Dr. Le reiterates the importance of testing and says to stay home if you’re symptomatic or if you test positive after being exposed to COVID.

Dr. Bhayani also recommends saline nasal rinses as needed, frequent and thorough handwashing and maintaining an overall healthy diet to keep your immune system in tip-top shape to fight off infections in general.

Related: The #1 COVID Symptom People Are Ignoring Right Now, According to Doctors

What’s the Quickest Way To Get Rid of June 2026 COVID Symptoms?

If you do get infected, talk to your doctor ASAP to see if you’re eligible for antivirals, experts universally advised, which can shorten the duration and lessen the severity of your COVID-19 symptoms.

Beyond that, you’ll want to treat it the way you would a flu or bad cold, depending on what your specific symptom set is like: hydration and plenty of rest are key! From there, you can use over-the-counter medications like antihistamines for runny nose, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to manage your fever and aches and/or lozenges to ease a sore throat as needed—but be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure you won’t have any reactions with other medications, drugs or supplements you make be taking already.

Also important to note: If you feel short of breath or have chest pains, get medical attention STAT!

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Sources:

• Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, MD
• Dr. Ayesha Bryant, MD, MSPH
• Dr. Jade Le, MD