Everything you need to
know about new coronavirus
The novel strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causes
coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Both COVID-19 and the flu are respiratory
illnesses that spread from person to person. This article will discuss the
differences between COVID-19 and the flu.
Symptoms
The symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 have some
differences.
People who have the flu will typically experience symptoms
within 1–4 days. The symptoms for COVID-19 can develop between 1–14 days.
However, according to 2020 research, the median incubation period for COVID-19
is 5.1 days.
As a point of comparison, the incubation period for a cold
is 1–3 days.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in both children and
adults. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), children typically present with fever and mild, cold-like symptoms, such
as a runny nose and a cough.
The following table outlines the symptoms of COVID-19, the
flu, and a cold.
Severity and
mortality
The symptoms of COVID-19 and flu can range from mild to
severe. Both can also cause pneumonia.
It is important to note that the World Health Organization
(WHO) have classified mild symptoms of COVID-19 to mean that a person will not
require hospitalization. The WHO classify mild cases to consist of symptoms
including:
·
Fever
·
Cough
·
Fatigue
·
Loss of appetite
·
Nasal congestion
·
Sore throat
·
Headache
According to the WHO, around 15% of COVID-19 cases are
severe, and 5% are critical. Those in a critical state require a ventilator to
breathe. The chance of severe and critical infection is higher with COVID-19
than the flu.
COVID-19 is also more deadly. According to the WHO, the
mortality rate for COVID-19 appears to be higher than that of the flu.
Compared with the flu, research on COVID-19 is still in
its early stages. These estimates may change over time.
Transmission
Both SARS-CoV-2 and the flu virus can spread through
person to person contact.
Tiny droplets containing the viruses can pass from someone
with the infection to someone else, typically through the nose and mouth
through coughing and sneezing.
The virus can also live on surfaces. The WHO is not sure
exactly how long the virus can survive, but it could be days.
According to the CDC, people can transmit the flu virus to
people who are 6 feet (ft) away. According to the WHO, people should stay at
least 6 ft away from anyone coughing or sneezing to help prevent the
transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
According to the WHO, the speed of transmission differs
between the two viruses. The symptoms of flu appear sooner, and it can spread
faster than the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The organization also indicate that people with flu can
pass the virus on before they show any symptoms. A person can also pass on the
SARS-CoV-2 infection even if they have no symptoms.
There are also differences in transmission between
children and adults.
According to the WHO, the transmission of the flu from
children to adults is common. However, based on early data it appears that it
is more common for adults to pass the SARS-CoV-2 infection onto children.
Children are less likely to develop symptoms.
Treatment
As flu has been around much longer than COVID-19, there
are more treatment options.
Most people with the flu do not require medical treatment.
But a doctor might prescribe antiviral drugs in some cases, which can reduce
the symptoms by 1–2 days.
These antiviral drugs help the body fight the virus. They
treat symptoms and reduce how long the illness lasts.
There are currently no antiviral drugs approved to treat
COVID-19, although scientists are currently researching drugs in trials. When
scientists have had more time to study the disease, the availability of
antivirals to treat COVID-19 will likely increase.
Although there is currently no approved treatment or
vaccination for COVID-19, there are ways to help treat the symptoms and any
complications that can occur.
For mild cases, a person should remain home and undertake
social distancing. Healthcare professionals may prescribe antipyretics to
reduce the fever.
For more severe cases, a person may require supplemental
oxygen or mechanical ventilation on a breathing machine to treat the
respiratory problems that may occur.
Prevention
The most effective way of preventing the flu is through
vaccination.
Many strains of influenza can cause infection. The most
common strains vary depending on the season.
Doctors will try to predict what strains will be most
common each season to select the right vaccine components.
There is currently no vaccine available for the SARS-CoV-2
infection. The virus is new, and developing safe vaccines takes time.
The best way to prevent spreading the SARS-CoV-2 virus
includes:
·
Washing hands regularly
·
Avoiding touching the face
·
Keeping at least 6 ft away from anyone sneezing and coughing
·
Covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing
·
Staying at home if feeling unwell
·
Working from home if possible
·
Avoiding crowds and gatherings of any size
Causes
Both COVID-19 and the flu are viral infections. Viruses
are tiny microbes that survive by invading other living cells. These cells
become host cells to the virus, which multiplies inside of them. They can then
spread to new cells around the body.
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause
respiratory infections. The SARS-CoV-2 causes the infection that leads to
COVID-19.
There are two types of viruses that cause the flu —
influenza A and B. There are also several subtypes of influenza A. Any of these
viruses can cause the flu.
Summary
COVID-19 and flu share some similar symptoms. The symptoms
of flu tend to occur faster and can have greater variation. But COVID-19 is
more likely to lead to severe illness or death.
Both viruses spread via person to person contact. Flu
spreads faster and is more likely to affect children.
As the flu has been around longer, there are several
effective antiviral treatments and vaccines available. Researchers and
scientists are developing these for
COVID-19, but treatments and vaccines are not likely to be
available soon.
The best way to prevent COVID-19 is to practice social
distancing, which means avoiding any non-essential social contact or travel. It
is essential to maintain good personal and domestic hygiene by washing the
hands regularly and keeping surfaces and utensils clean.
Viral infections cause both COVID-19 and the flu. But
COVID-19 is due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and flu is from influenza A and B
viruses.