How Can I Tell If I Have the Flu or COVID-19?

April 28, 2021

The winter months are certainly not a welcoming time of year for sicknesses. Although flu cases are down due to COVID-19 health-safety precautions, it's important to continue doing our best to avoid a “twindemic,” consisting of a flu outbreak on top of the prevalence of COVID-19.

If you do happen to get sick this year, how are you supposed to know if it’s with the flu or COVID-19? Our team at AFC Urgent Care Willowbrook is here to help, so read on.

How Do I Know If I Have the Flu?

The flu and the coronavirus share similar symptoms, but they also share some key differences. Typically unlike COVID-19, flu symptoms come on suddenly, and they come on hard. A fever is a tell-tale sign of the flu, whereas a fever isn’t quite as consistent in COVID-19.

An additional defining factor of the flu is that the flu doesn’t usually cause as many serious illnesses as COVID-19. We’ve listed some more common symptoms of the flu below.

Common Flu Symptoms

Joint and muscle achiness
Pain and tiredness around the eyes
Weakness or extreme fatigue
Warm, flushed skin and red, watery eyes
Frequent headaches
Fever

How Do I Know If I Have COVID-19?

As we said earlier, COVID-19 symptoms and flu symptoms look a lot alike. While the flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses, they are caused by two different viruses. The flu is caused by an infection with influenza viruses, and COVID-19 is caused by an infection with a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

Experts say that one of the most telling signs of COVID-19 is a new loss of taste or smell and difficulty breathing. If you experience these symptoms, including some of the ones we’ve listed below, it’s important to schedule a COVID-19 test.

More Symptoms of COVID-19