As the coronavirus confirmed cases are rising around the world, everyone gets panicked even if they need to sneeze or cough. So, it is important to identify the differences between the symptoms of COVID-19, flu, or cold. This is how to recognize that you have COVID-19, flu, or cold.
You can’t identify that you have COVID-19, flu, or cold with any degree of certainty, by yourself.
COVID-19 causes a fever and a dry tickly cough and does not create a blocked or runny nose as a common cold. If you infected COVID-19, that is the same as flu and perhaps similar to the first days of a cold.
The way to be sure is a test that will confirm the presence of the COVID-19 virus. It will take a couple of days, the services of a specialist laboratory, and test kits are in short supply. So isolate yourself at home and contact your doctor or health service by telephone. Do not go to a doctor’s surgery or emergency room and risk infecting other patients and unprepared medications. Do follow the advice you receive from the medical advisors.
Until the supply and simplicity of test kits improve, testing will likely be mostly reserved for patients who show symptoms of pneumonia or having breathing difficulty, to work out what sort of pneumonia and to offer appropriate treatment.
There is a good chance you will not get that ill and will recover in self-isolation in your bed at home. You may never know for sure if you had COVID-19 or flu. Possibly even just a cold, if COVID-19 can be that mild. Colds usually cause blocked or runny noses, though.
Developing a blocked or runny nose is not an all-clear. There is no reason you cannot have COVID-19, flu, and a common cold at the same time, in which case sneezing would make you extra infectious. Stay in self-isolation until you are free of fever and symptoms for at least three days.
With these facts, it is essential to understand the differences between COVID-19, flu, and cold and how to identify that you have COVID-19, flu, or cold because unnecessary panics can make your situation even worse.
Covid-19 | How can you test yourself that you have infected coronavirus
Flu
Flu is sudden and unexpected. Flu can occur without pre symptoms. The incubation period of the flu might be around 1 to 4 days. Further, complications such as pneumonia are infrequent, around 1%.
Severe cases take like 2 weeks to recover, and mild cases take 1 week to improve. Medications are determined according to the symptoms, and there are vaccines to treat seasonal flu.
Common symptoms of seasonal flu
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Muscle ache
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
Vomiting or diarrhea might occur when you are suffering from high fever.
Common cold
You will know when cold is coming for you because cold knocks you down gradually. The incubation period of the common cold is around 2 to 3 days. In severe cases, you might experience low-grade fever, muscle or body ache, headache, or fatigue—no need to worry because complications are infrequent. There are no specific treatments for the common cold. Doctors are treating the symptoms. You can recover from a common cold after 7 to 10 days.
Common symptoms of the common cold
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
Coronavirus / COVID-19
Coronavirus can be infecting you all of a sudden. As medical experts, the incubation period might be 1 to 14 days, but some patients show the symptoms even after 24 days of infection. In normal conditions, it takes 2 weeks to recover, but severe cases take 2 to 6 weeks to recover. The recovery period is dependent on your level of immunity.
If your immunity is stronger enough to fight COVID-19, you can recover faster than an average person. Around 5% of the coronavirus infected people face complications like pneumonia, respiratory failures, or organ failures. Those extreme symptoms are heading to the death of the patient. The worst scenario is there is no cure for COVID-19. Medications are given for the symptoms.
Common symptoms of Coronavirus / COVID-19
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Muscle ache
- Fatigue
Less Common symptoms of Coronavirus / COVID-19
- Headache
- Haemoptysis (coughing up blood)
- Diarrhea
Here is an important fact,
If you are sneezing or having a stuffy nose, you are likely NOT to HAVE COVID-19.
This is how to identify that you have COVID-19, flu, or cold, but REMEMBER to take medical advice if you feel that you have flu or cold too because all the 3 cases show many same symptoms.
But, even if you are suffering from the flu or cold, you just need to protect yourself and the others around you because it takes more than 10 days to show the symptoms of coronavirus.
What’s the right mask for the coronavirus?
If you are suffering from COVID-19, flu or cold
- Avoid crowded places and isolate yourself
- Take necessary medications
- Rest
- When you sneeze or cough use tissues or your elbow
- Dispose of your tissues correctly
- Avoid contacting other people
- Take healthy foods to boost your immunity
- Wash your hands
Most importantly, don’t panic if you feel any of the symptoms of COVID-19 , flu or cold. Seek medical help as soon as possible.
Read more – Has anyone survived after being infected with the Corona virus?
Read more – Is It Dangerous To Order A Package From China Due To Coronavirus?
Visit – World health organization
