Yet another flu season is upon us, and it’s important to be careful this year in order to avoid a potential “twindemic” involving both the flu and COVID-19.
During flu season, though, how are you supposed to tell the difference between COVID-19 and the flu when you start to feel under the weather? Our AFC Urgent Care Sevierville team offers some helpful answers below, so keep reading.
How Can I Know If I Have the Flu or COVID-19?
Flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar. Body aches, fever and nausea are some of the most shared symptoms between the two, and these symptoms can make it tough to decipher what you’re actually sick with.
If you start feeling under the weather and experiencing any of the symptoms that we’ve listed below, it’s important to get a COVID-19 test. COVID-19 is still the more infectious and dangerous of the two illnesses right now, so it’s important to rule that one out first. If you don’t have access to a COVID-19 test, however, experts say that some of the tell-tale signs of COVID-19 are a loss of taste or smell and shortness of breath.
Common Symptoms of COVID-19 and the Flu
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever or chills
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Frequent headaches
How Are COVID-19 and the Flu Different?
Well, first of all, they’re caused by two different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2, while the flu is caused by the influenza virus.
Also, COVID-19 appears to be more contagious than the flu, and it has caused more serious illnesses than the flu. We’ve listed some ways you can protect yourself from getting either one of these respiratory illnesses below.
Important Health-Safety Precautions
- Get the COVID-19 and flu vaccine. You can either get them at the same time or space them apart.
- Exercise proper hand hygiene and good respiratory etiquette, such as coughing into your elbow or a tissue.
- Wear a mask in public.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water aren’t readily available.
Do you have further questions about the flu or COVID-19? If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to our AFC Urgent Care Sevierville team today!
