Well, Strep throat occurs rarely.. and since it is bacterial, its symptoms must include a scratching sensation.. Usually accompanied many times by Rheumatic fever.. You will usually find swollen lymph nodes in the neck.. many other bacterial symptoms.

In Sored throat associated with Coronavirus, you find that they defile management.. lozenges dont work.. systemic fevers are associated.. and usually you are able to make a differential of either of them.. i do not think i will miss them if i see either..

Differentiating between COVID-19 and Streptococcal sore-throat

Only early feature that can differentiate COVID-19 from Streptococcal sore-throat can be disturbances in the smell or taste in the former condition. In one large study of confirmed COVID-19 patients, 62% of the patients had hyposmia or anosmia, while sore-throat was present in about 52% (1). A history of contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient will favour this diagnosis. Progression to chest pain, dyspnea and radiological evidence of pneumonia or ARDS along with a positive swab test for SARS-CoV-2 will confirm this diagnosis.

Streptococcal sorethroat is more common in children and young adults, while COVID-19 is more common and symptomatic in older age group. The predominant feature of streptococcal sore throat is throat pain, cough, with or without fever, findings of congested pharynx with a membranous exudate, with or without enlarged inflammed tonsils (2).

When in doubt testing for COVID-19 and ASO titer for streptococcal infection can be helpful.

1. Article Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions as a clinical presentat...

2. Article Streptococcal Pharyngitis

Because the presentation in both streptococcal throat infection and Covid 19 is nearly the same so at time of pandemic present now the only way to differentiat between the is to do Covid 19 blood test.

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As the clinical symptoms of streptococcal infection simulate to COVID-19, it is therefore, imperative to take laboratory help to differentiate so that treatment may be given accordingly to reduce the suffering of patient.

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Thank you for your answers. I was reviewing the subject. It is said that in COVID 19 alteration in taste/smell can be seen in around 34-87% , fever between 45-99% of subjects and so on. So no symptom is seen in all and none are specific. Regarding testing, some scientific bodies mention that testing is to be done when there are symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath etc but do not mention whether all these symptoms have to be present together or can be an indication even if present separately. This pandemic would probably last several months. Should everyone with a single symptom like sore throat (which is common and can happen multiple times over a time period to a single person) then get themselves tested? My take: it has to be individualised.

Streptococcal throat infection and early covid 19 has some similarities but l will go on to explain each of the differences in details .

Streptococci are gram positive aerobic organisms that cause many disorders,including phargngitis,pneumonia ,wound and skin infections,sepsis and endocarditis,immunoconpromised patient, symptoms vary with organ infected .sequelae of infections due to group A beta.Haemolytic streptococci may include rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis.Most strains are sensitive to pencillin ,but macrolide resistant strains have recently emerged .this one can be as a result of immunocompromised patient whose immune system is low ,you can used CD4 machine to check immune status and also using PCR is check the viral load of the immunocompromised patient ,and in this the white blood count may be low depending on the level of the virus in the body depending on how severeity the virus is in the body it can destroy the immune cells,nerves ,making the white blood cell count to be low ,lymphocytes will also be high or low indicating there is a presence of virus in the body.While Covid 19 is a virus infection that the causative agent is SARS Cov-2 ,which can be infected through droplets that comes in contact with infected sneezing,breath. which is the cause of covid 19 is also an RNA virus,this can infect a patient at the early stage between 2-14 days ,the individual or patient will start having symptoms such as sneezing,headache,respiratory distress or breathing ,weakness,bleeding ,fever but in this pain killer,cough syrup can relieve the symptoms.But there is a new treatment but is still on research ,WHO welcomes the initial critical trial results from the UK,show that dexomethasome a corticosteroid can be lifesaving for patients who are critically ill with covid 19 .for patients on ventilators ,the treatment has shown reduce mortality was cut by about by about one fifth ,according to preliminary finding shared with WHO,is a pandemic disease

Thanks @Emmanuel Chioma Judith

I agree with Animesh Ray 's answer. However being an ENT surgeon believe me it's very difficult to differentiate the viral or bacterial pharyngitis early in there course.

Once you start seeing pus points in the tonsillar cripts, cervical lymphadenopathy then one suspects bacterial infection, though not sacrosanct.

My practical tip is give symptomatic treatment for 3 days if symptom persist add AmoxyClav, 99 % of patients improve by day 5.

Lab tests (Throat swab and culture sensitivity) are reserved for non responders and patients with high risk like rheumatic heart disease.

I am talking with the context of resource constraint countries like India and South East Asia.

D. K. Gupta Very practical points. Thank you.

Perhaps now-a-day the best procedure is to do a RT-PCR soon to precise the diagnosis.