How do you tell if you have the flu, common cold, or COVID-19?

flu symptoms

The flu and common cold, as well as covid-19, are all respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses and have similar but different symptoms. In the case of the flu, the virus that causes it is the so-called influenza virus, which can be fatal if complications develop, especially in the most vulnerable people. It is usually associated with certain times of the year.this Most common flu symptoms

They are high fever, muscle aches, headache and sore throat, fatigue, dry cough and nasal congestion. All these symptoms appear suddenly.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Influenza A and B viruses are the most common and cause seasonal epidemics. The difference between influenza A and influenza B is that influenza A is the most severe because it has a greater ability to mutate and can be transmitted from animals to humans. Influenza B is milder and only affects humans and its symptoms. These symptoms often last longer and can be especially harmful to young people and children because it is more common in this age group.

cold symptoms

in the case of cold, which shares symptoms with the flu, although it is often accompanied by sneezing, and the symptoms evolve much milder than the flu, often gradually. Usually, colds have no serious complications other than discomfort. Like the flu, it is spread through droplets expelled when coughing or sneezing and through direct contact with an affected person. Symptoms may appear one to three days after exposure to the virus, with full recovery occurring in less than 10 days.

The symptoms of the flu, cold and coronavirus are similar, which is why it’s normal to get the three illnesses confused. The most common method is to get a test to determine if we have the flu or covid-19, although we can use symptoms to determine which virus we have.

Both the flu and COVID-19 cause sore throats, coughs and nasal congestion, all of which are accompanied by characteristic sneezing that COVID-19 does not produce in the case of a cold. Without going any further, sneezing, congestion, and a runny nose are all signs of discomfort, and unlike the coronavirus, these symptoms do appear with the common cold.

coronavirus disease symptoms

Currently, among the symptoms produced Coronavirus Dry cough, muscle and throat pain, fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, changes in heart rhythm, and loss of taste and/or smell predominate. Diarrhea and nausea sometimes occur. Even with the newly identified omicron lineage, new symptoms were discovered, such as loss of appetite or hoarseness.

If you develop any symptoms, health authorities recommend seeing a doctor to determine the cause and diagnosis to prevent the spread of these respiratory illnesses.