[HartleyMBaldwin]

Though it usually causes a mild infection similar to the common cold - with nasal congestion, coughs, shortness of breath and a fever

In other words, it's a cold.

[MarMema]

It was running around here a few months ago and absolutely the worst illness I have had in my entire life.
3 weeks in bed.
Seniors and infants were dying from it at the hospital just north of us.

Forget covid. This baby almost took us out.

[ETCM]

In other words, it's a cold.

For most, yes. Since the Common Cold is not a virus, but a group of symptoms (most commonly caused by a number of rhinoviruses and coronaviruses). But for some small subset, like MarMema above, it advances to a more serious illness. Sounds a lot like COVID has been since early 2022 when Omicron took over.