Is a cold sore a first symtom of covid?

Viral illnesses like colds, flu, and COVID can trigger recurrences of oral herpes -- that's why they're called cold sores and fever blisters. But almost always the viral illness starts first, with herpes showing up a few days later. Therefore, a cold sore is unlikely to be the first sign of a new COVID infection. Most oral herpes outbreaks are random, without obvious colds or other triggers.