How can you tell if you have a cold, the flu, or COVID-19? An expert offers advice for those worried sick about their symptoms.
You wake up one morning feeling under the weather. While in previous years you may have chalked up a sore throat or body aches to a run-of-the-mill cold or flu, this year’s COVID-19 pandemic adds a new element of concern to getting sick.
“There is significant overlap between symptoms of influenza and COVID,” says Laraine Washer, medical director of infection prevention and epidemiology at Michigan Medicine. “Both can present with fevers, chills, cough, muscle/body aches, fatigue, and headache.”
Here, Washer offers advice to follow during this unique cold and flu season.
Know the Symptoms
Cold symptoms are mild and the common cold tends not to be associated with fever or headache.
Congestion/runny nose is common for the common cold and would be uncommon to be the only symptom for influenza. Congestion/runny nose can be a symptom of a COVID infection and might be the only symptom in mild cases.
Flu symptoms are often of rapid onset. COVID symptoms can be of rapid or more gradual onset.
One symptom that is more unique to a COVID infection is the loss of taste or smell, Washer says.
Should you get a a test?
Washer says that in many settings, the only way to tell the difference between COVID and influenza is by testing.
“The differentiation can be very important as there are is ..
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