Sore throat is getting progressively worse over the last 3 days. painful swallowing. started feeling better then worse. stuffy nose, sneezing. cough very infrequently. blocked ears.

Some possibilities: Throat pain can be from a strep throat infection (antibiotics needed), a cold or influenza (antibiotics usually not used), or from some other cause such as allergies or irritants. Usually, a person sees the doctor (call first) if the sore throat is bothersome, recurrent, or doesn't go away quickly. COVID-19 infections tend to have cough, whereas strep usually lacks cough but has more throat pain.