How to know if I have the flu or COVID-19 without getting tested

Some four years after Covid-19 entered our daily lives, the virus is still here. Since its emergence at the end of 2019, it has experienced countless mutations during this long period.

With the epidemic under control and Spain having almost no serious cases of COVID-19, we must not forget that the virus is still among us and although it usually manifests itself in milder forms, it is important to know how it is spread. Distinguish its symptoms from other illnesses. Seasonal, like the flu.

The difference between influenza and coronavirus

Knowing how to tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19 can be difficult because the symptoms of both cases are similar. In many cases, only specific tests can confirm the nature of the process, but there are some key differences that can guide us in choosing one over the other.

As consumer and user groups explain, both influenza and Covid-19 can cause symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and diarrhoea.

However, the symptoms of the common cold, caused by a variety of viruses, including some in the coronavirus family (unlike the virus that causes Covid-19), are usually limited to the upper respiratory tract: nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throat. throat. Unlike the flu and Covid-19, the common cold tends not to cause a significant fever or significant muscle aches.

It’s important to remember that coronaviruses can also exhibit these characteristic symptoms of the common cold, which complicates the safe distinction between the two. This is why, in cases of doubt, specific testing remains the best option to confirm the nature of the infection.