It’s crucial to get in touch with your healthcare provider as soon as you see any signs of coronavirus (COVID-19). However, there are many symptoms that COVID-19, the common cold, seasonal allergies, and the flu, often known as influenza, have in common. How can one determine if they have COVID-19? Continue reading to know more about Covid vs the flu in Kirkham.

Covid vs the flu

How do I know if I have Covid or the flu?

There are many similarities between the flu and COVID-19 symptoms. They differ in a few other ways as well. The onset of symptoms is one significant distinction.

Symptoms of the flu normally appear between 1-4 days after contracting it. Typically, COVID-19 symptoms appear within 1 to 14 days. For COVID-19, the average incubation time is 6.57 days. The precise incubation time varies depending on the variant.

In contrast, the incubation period for a cold is one to three days.

Both children and adults experience the same COVID-19 symptoms. Children, on the other hand, are more prone to have mild, cold-like symptoms, like a headache or sore throat.

Covid vs the flu in Kirkham & beyond: Severity and mortality

Flu and COVID-19 symptoms can range in severity from mild to severe. Both are capable of causing pneumonia. However, the majority of flu and COVID-19 infections are minor and manageable at home.

15% of COVID-19 cases, according to preliminary statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), are severe, and 5% are critical. People who are very ill need a ventilator to help them breathe.

However, just 0.6% of COVID-19 cases required mechanical ventilation, and roughly 9% of cases were so severe that they required ICU attention. With COVID-19, there is a larger risk of a serious and life-threatening illness than with the flu.

Additionally, COVID-19 is fatal. The WHO reports that the COVID-19 fatality rate seems to be higher than the flu mortality rate. The elderly and people with existing medical conditions are those who are most at risk of developing complications or severe illness from these infections.

Research on COVID-19 is still in its early stages compared to that of the flu. The best protection against this life-threatening illness is receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and adhering to recommended booster schedules.

Covid vs flu: Prevention methods 

Vaccination is the most reliable method of preventing the flu or COVID-19.

Flu vaccination

Several influenza strains can cause infection in people. The predominant strains in circulation usually change from season to season.

Researchers get together each year to estimate which strains will be prevalent during the forthcoming flu season. This allows them to best link the vaccine ingredients to the prevalent strains at the time.

Experts recommend taking the flu vaccine every year because the predominant strains keep changing.

The COVID-19 vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccine requires 1 to 3 doses, based on the vaccine manufacturer. A person is not deemed fully immunised until all doses are given.

When you become eligible after the initial immunisation course, extra booster injections are also recommended. It’s also anticipated that new COVID booster doses that target a number of subvariants would be made available.

Covid vs flu: Causes

The flu and COVID-19 are both viral illnesses. Viruses are little microbes that infiltrate other live cells in order to survive. The virus multiplies inside these cells, which end up acting as hosts. They can then move around to new cells within the body.

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that are responsible for respiratory illnesses. The infection that results in COVID-19 is brought on by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The influenza A and B viruses are the two main kinds of influenza viruses. There are other subtypes of influenza A as well. Flu can be caused by any of these viruses.

Can you have Covid and flu at the same time?

Yes. It is possible to contract COVID-19 and the flu at the same time. Your likelihood of contracting coinfections will be lowered if you receive both the COVID-19 vaccination and the flu jab.

Can I still get sick after I get the flu jab?

Even if you had your annual flu vaccine, you could still contract the virus. Similarly, it is still possible for you to contract COVID-19 even if you have received the entire COVID-19 vaccination. However, if you do contract COVID-19, you’ll probably only have a mild sickness that can be managed at home.

Want to learn more about Covid vs the flu in Kirkham? Get in touch with HMI Pharmacy or book your appointment to get vaccinated today!

 

 

This blog post was written on behalf of HMI Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.