Whether you’re sneezing, coughing, or feeling achy, sometimes it’s difficult to know what’s causing your symptoms. Is this just a cold? Are my allergies acting up? Or is this something more serious? Show
With COVID-19 in our communities, sorting through your symptoms can be even more confusing—and stressful. Assistant Vice President of Clinical and Operational Excellence, Allison Guste, RN, BSN, CPHQ, is here to share what you need to know to help keep your mind at ease and get back to feeling your best. RELATED: This or that? Most effective ways to kill coronavirus in your home Flu vs.CovidBoth flu and COVID-19 can cause mild to severe illness with many common signs and symptoms, however, one difference to note is the loss of taste or smell, which is unique to COVID-19. “It is difficult to tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19 by symptoms alone. That is why it is important for you to get vaccinated against the flu each year,” explained Guste. “By vaccinating, you can decrease your chances of getting sick with the flu. If you do have symptoms of the flu or COVID-19, it is important that you isolate yourself at home and contact your healthcare provider.” Spotting symptoms of a common coldCompared to the flu and COVID-19, a common cold usually doesn’t cause fever and has milder symptoms. Unlike the flu, COVID-19, and the common cold, allergy symptoms do not include body aches, muscle pains, or a fever. How do they compare?Flu Coronavirus Cold Allergies Onset Symptoms develop abruptly Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure Symptoms tend to develop slowly Symptoms come and go with the seasons Duration Less than two weeks A few days to a week for most people About 7 to 10 days Several weeks Symptoms
Care Tips
Symptom Guide Cold Flu Allergies COVID-19 Symptoms Fever/Chills
Headache
General Aches, Pain
Fatigue, Weakness
Extreme Exhaustion
Stuffy / Runny Nose
Sneezing
Sore Throat
Cough
Shortness of Breath
Loss of Taste and Smell
Itchy Eyes, Nose
Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
Download our symptom guide Fighting against the fluThe simple truth is that the best way to defend yourself and your family against the flu is to get the flu vaccine. “Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination,” said Guste. “These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are used to make the vaccine.” The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. Vaccines are especially important for those who are most at risk for having complications with the flu:
Even if you don't fall into one of the above groups, you should still get the vaccine if you want to prevent the flu. How often should I get a flu shot?The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older with rare exceptions. “The reason for this is that a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccination is needed to get the best protection against the flu,” said Guste. “Also, the flu viruses are constantly changing, so the vaccine makeup is reviewed each year and updated as needed based on which flu viruses are making people sick.” What’s in a flu vaccine?There are three different influenza vaccine production technologies approved by the FDA: egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant flu vaccine. “The most common way that flu vaccines are made is using an egg-based manufacturing process, which has been used for more than 70 years.,” said Guste. “Egg-based vaccine manufacturing is used to make both inactivated (killed) vaccines, usually called the ‘flu shot’, and live attenuated (weakened) vaccines, usually called the ‘nasal spray flu vaccine.' In the inactivated (killed) vaccine, the virus particles lose their disease-producing capacity.” A common misconception is that getting a flu vaccine will cause you to get the flu. “Flu shots cannot cause flu illness,” confirmed Guste. “Flu shots are made with inactivated or killed viruses, and these virus particles lose their disease-producing capacity. The nasal spray vaccine contains live viruses that are attenuated (weakened) so that they will not cause illness.” Other preventative stepsOther steps you can take to protect you and your loved ones from the flu include:
Talk with your healthcare providerAccording to the CDC, there are situations when you should not get a vaccine because they could cause other health issues. Talk with your healthcare provider if:
Children younger than 6 months of age should not be vaccinated against the flu. Flu vaccines haven't been approved for that age group. Think you know about the flu? Take our flu quiz to test your knowledge. Do you lose sense of smell with flu?With most viral infections, smell loss will occur after the other viral symptoms — the nasal congestion and runny nose — have come and gone. With COVID-19, smell loss one of the first signs of infection.
How do I know if I have COVIDSymptom check: Is it COVID-19 or the flu? COVID-19 symptoms generally appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Flu symptoms usually appear about 1 to 4 days after exposure to an influenza virus. COVID-19 can cause more-serious illnesses in some people than can the flu.
Does loss of smell means you have Covid?Losing taste and smell can be an early symptom of a COVID-19 infection. A complete loss of smell (anosmia) or loss of taste (ageusia) is rare.
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