4. Longer Duration
As mentioned, one of the challenges with strep throat is identifying whether this is indeed the cause of the sore throat or whether a viral infection or another form of irritation may be responsible.
One way to find out is by considering the duration of the symptoms. In strep throat, the symptom of the sore throat tends to be more severe and also longer lasting.
This might persist for a number of weeks even. Conversely, if you have a ‘regular’ cold or viral infection, then it is more likely that the sore throat will improve after a day or two.