Difference between COVID and flu

 

What is the difference between a normal cold, influenza, and the new corona?

The colds and flu that are prevalent every year, as well as the new coronavirus infection, are all concerns for my health and my family's health.

Colds (common colds), influenza (epidemic colds), and coronavirus infections seem to have similar causes and symptoms, and the course and prognosis are slightly different. Be aware that if you are not careful, you may get seriously ill.

Here, we will introduce the differences between colds, influenza, and new coronavirus infections.

How to distinguish between common colds, influenza, and coronavirus infections

Colds (common colds) and influenza (epidemic colds) can be difficult to distinguish because they have similar initial symptoms. In some cases, there are no subjective symptoms of the new coronavirus infection. However, even mild symptoms can change suddenly and become severe, so special attention should be paid to the elderly and people with respiratory illness.

Cold is a general term for acute inflammation of the nose and throat (upper respiratory tract) caused by pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. Because it is transmitted from the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, symptoms of the nose and throat such as sneezing, nasal congestion, stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, and tan are prominent.

Influenza is caused by infection with the influenza virus. A common feature is a sudden fever of 38 ° C or higher, with systemic symptoms such as arthralgia, myalgia, malaise and chills, accompanied by symptoms such as nasal discharge and coughing.

In the case of cold, symptoms appear relatively slowly and often improve in about 4 to 5 days, whereas in influenza, symptoms appear rapidly and often recover after about 1 week.

As the name suggests, the new coronavirus infection is a new viral infection that was first confirmed at the end of 2019, and at the beginning of the infection, coughs and fever are seen like a normal cold. Symptoms may vary from person to person, but at first they are relatively mild, with low-grade fever to high fever, coughing, joint pain and myalgia, heavy head and malaise, loss of appetite, and abnormal taste and smell. After that, there are cases where the patient is hospitalized, such as suddenly becoming severe and having pneumonia. Some people who develop pneumonia need intensive care or mechanical ventilation. In the case of mild illness, it will recover in about one week, but on the other hand, asymptomatic people may suddenly become severely ill, so caution is required.

In the case of influenza, mainly symptomatic treatment, anti-influenza drug is used within 48 hours from the onset to suppress the growth of influenza virus in the body, but there are more than 200 types of cold virus. With some exceptions, there are no anti-viral drugs, and symptomatic treatment to relieve pain and unpleasant symptoms is the main treatment method.

For new coronavirus infections, symptomatic treatments that relieve pain and unpleasant symptoms are currently the main focus. For moderate or severe inpatient treatment, use antiviral drugs, anticoagulants to prevent blood clots, and steroids to suppress immune runaway.

Differences between colds, influenza, and new coronavirus infections

	Cold (normal cold)	influenza	COVID-19 infection
Infectivity / transmission route	Not very strong / contact or droplet infection	Strong / contact or droplet infection	Very strong / possible contact or droplet infection, aerosol infection
The area where symptoms begin to appear	Local (mainly the upper respiratory tract such as the nose and throat)	In addition to local symptoms, systemic symptoms often appear	In addition to local symptoms, systemic symptoms often appear
How symptoms appear	Loose	Sudden	Although it is gradual, it suddenly becomes severe and often has pneumonia.
Fever	About 37-38 ℃ (often low-grade fever)	High fever (rapid heat generation of 38 ° C or higher)	Fever of 37.5 ° C or higher often lasts for 4 days or lunge
Major changes in physical condition	Mainly symptoms of the upper respiratory tract such as sneezing, nasal congestion, stuffy nose, coughing, and sore throat	Rapid onset of systemic symptoms such as joint pain, muscle pain, headache, and chills	Initial symptoms such as fever and cough are difficult to distinguish from colds and flu, and other taste and smell disorders such as headache, malaise, and loss of appetite may appear.
Method of treatment	Mainly symptomatic treatment to relieve pain and unpleasant symptoms	Use anti-influenza drugs for symptomatic treatment	If symptomatic treatment progresses to central pneumonia, use antiviral drugs, anticoagulants to prevent thrombosis, steroids to suppress immune runaway, intensive care, respirators, etc.
Time to heal	Mostly about a week	Mostly about a week	About 5 to 7 days for mild cases

 

The basic infection prevention mechanism is the same

Common to colds, influenza, and coronavirus infections is that they are all "contact or droplet-borne infections." Coughing and sneezing can spread droplets containing causative substances such as viruses and bacteria, or by touching them with your hands.

In order to protect important people from infectious diseases, I would like to know each infection route and preventive measures.

In addition to droplet infection and contact infection, there is a possibility of infection by "aerosol" floating in the air in the new coronavirus infection.

"Droplet infection" occurs when a virus is released along with droplets from a sneeze or cough, and a nearby person inhales it through the mouth or nose, and the virus enters the body through the mucous membrane. By wearing a mask, you can prevent the spread of droplets.

"Contact infection" occurs when the virus enters the body through the mucous membranes when the virus is attached to the nose or mouth by touching the nose or mouth. You can wash away the virus that has adhered by hand washing, or inactivate the virus (infectivity is lost) by disinfecting your hands with alcohol.

Aerosols are minute liquids or solids that float in the air and can occur when an infected person sneezes or coughs in a poorly ventilated room. "Aerosol infection" occurs when the virus inhales through the nose or mouth and the virus enters the body through the mucous membrane. It often happens in a room with poor ventilation, so be sure to ventilate frequently. Since it is important to create an air flow, it is important to open windows and doorways in two directions.

In any infectious disease, it is effective to keep the causative substances away by masking, gargling, washing hands, etc., avoiding unnecessary and unurgent going out, and avoiding making "three dense".

Even if the epidemic has subsided, the virus itself has not disappeared. It is important to continue a life that is free from infectious diseases and does not spread, but if any initial symptoms appear, try not to pass on to people around you, such as wearing a mask, and if the symptoms change or continue for a long time. Please consult with a medical institution or a local consultation desk without making a self-judgment.