What is the difference between corona and flu? How to recognize it from the symptoms

Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Syndrome-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a type of virus that appeared in late 2019 and caused a respiratory disease called Corona or Covid-19. Corona disease is very similar to seasonal flu. However, there are some important differences between the two diseases that you should be aware of. In this article from darmankade magazine, we examine the difference between corona and influenza. Stay with us until the end of this article.

Table of Contents

• Important points about the difference between Corona and Influenza
• Difference of corona virus and influenza in terms of symptoms and symptoms
  • 1. The latent period of the disease
  • 2. Disease symptoms
  • 3. How the symptoms start
  • 4. The course of the disease and the severity of its symptoms Duration of contagiousness of the disease
• Coronavirus and influenza in terms of treatment methods
• Coronavirus and influenza in terms of prevention methods
  • 1. Influenza vaccine
  • 2. Corona vaccine
• Final word
• Frequently Asked Questions

Important points about the difference between Corona and influenza

To learn more about the difference between Corona and influenza, we recommend that you watch the following video first. In this video, we provide you with everything you need to know about corona and flu:

Difference between corona and flu in terms of signs and symptoms

Corona disease and influenza disease are both viral infections. Viruses are small microbes that can survive by attacking other living cells. These living cells play the role of the host cell for the virus and cause its multiplication.

Corona disease is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But the flu disease is related to 2 types of viruses called influenza virus A and B. The influenza A virus has several subtypes, all of which can cause the flu.

Both the coronavirus and the flu are respiratory illnesses, but there are many differences between them. These differences can be explored from different directions:

1. The latent period of the disease

The first point that we should mention about the difference between corona and influenza is the latent period of the disease. The number of days between the time the virus enters the body and the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease is called the incubation period. But influenza has a shorter incubation period; So that its symptoms appear after one to four days and on average after 2 days.

Learn more: New corona virus

2. Disease symptoms

Part of the difference between these two viruses is related to their symptoms.

Corona symptoms

The most common symptoms of corona disease are:

• Fever
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath

In addition to the above symptoms, some people may have other symptoms. These symptoms include:

• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Nausea or diarrhea
• Shivering
• Loss of smell
• Loss of taste

Evidence shows that a group of people with the corona virus have no symptoms. They do not experience or have very mild symptoms.

Learn more: How many types of corona vaccine are there? What are the types of side effects of these vaccines?

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza patients experience all or some of the following symptoms:

• fever
• chills
• cough
• fatigue
• body aches
• headache
• runny or stuffy nose
• sore throat
• Nausea or diarrhea

Not all patients with the flu have a fever. This is especially true in the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. In addition, gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea are more common in children with flu.

Learn more: What are the symptoms of new corona?

3. How the symptoms start

Influenza and Corona differ from each other in terms of how the symptoms start. The initial symptoms of corona disease are usually milder and develop gradually. But in most cases, the onset of flu symptoms is sudden.

4. The course of the disease and the severity of its symptoms

Human information about the corona disease is less compared to the flu disease. However, it is known that there are certain differences between them in terms of the course of the disease and the severity of the symptoms.

For example, it is estimated that 20% of confirmed cases of corona infection are severe or critical, and some people may experience exacerbation of respiratory symptoms in the second week of the disease (after an average of eight days).

On the other hand, if the flu is uncomplicated, it usually recovers within three to seven days. In some people, the cough and fatigue may last for 2 weeks or more. Statistics also show that more than 1% of people with this disease are admitted to the hospital.

Learn more: Is corona transmitted through sexual intercourse?

5. Duration of the disease's contagiousness

It is not known exactly how long people with corona can transmit the disease to others. However, those with symptoms can spread the disease, researchers said. Of course, there may be a possibility of spreading the disease even before the symptoms appear.

A person with the flu can transmit the virus to others one day before the symptoms appear. The spread of the virus continues five to seven days after getting sick.

Learn more:Sense of smell in Corona; Another sign of corona that you should know

The difference between corona virus and flu in terms of treatment method

Most people with flu do not need medical treatment. But the doctor may recommend the use of antiviral drugs in some cases. These drugs help the body fight the virus and reduce the duration of symptoms by one to two days. As a result, the disease disappears faster.

Most people with corona disease do not need special treatment. For mild cases, the person should stay at home and observe social distancing. However, antiviral therapy may be recommended for those at risk of developing serious disease. The doctor determines the dangerousness of corona according to the patient's age, health history and duration of symptoms.

Early treatment can reduce the severity of corona symptoms and the risk of hospitalization. In severe cases, patients suffering from corona have breathing problems. Therefore, oxygen therapy or a mechanical ventilation device may be needed.

Learn more:What is the effect of corona on the skin?

The difference between corona and flu in terms of prevention methods

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu or corona.

1. Flu vaccine

The strains of the flu virus that cause disease are constantly changing. Researchers gather each year to predict which strains will cause disease during the upcoming flu season. This will help researchers develop the vaccine needed to fight that strain. For this reason, it is recommended to get the flu vaccine every year.

2. Corona vaccine

In December 2020, the first corona vaccine for emergency use in the United States was marketed for people over 16 years of age. Depending on the manufacturer, you should receive the corona vaccine several times at certain intervals. Until you complete the vaccination course, you are not immune to the corona virus.

Know more: What is the drug for corona? The best medicine to treat this disease

Final word

In this article, we answered the question of what is the difference between corona and influenza and introduced you to these two diseases. Now you know that corona and flu are both respiratory diseases and they have key differences from each other; So that some common flu symptoms are not seen in corona disease. Flu symptoms develop suddenly; While the symptoms of corona disease appear gradually. In addition, the incubation period of influenza is shorter than that of corona.

Learn more: What are the side effects of Astrazeneca vaccine?

Corona also appears to have a greater potential to cause severe symptoms compared to influenza. For this reason, a higher percentage of people with it need to be hospitalized. On the other hand, the corona virus spreads faster between different people than the flu virus.

If you are experiencing symptoms that you do not know whether they are related to the corona virus or the flu, see your general practitioner for further investigation. The general doctor can identify the cause of your illness and, if necessary, refer you to other specialists, including an infectious specialist.

You can consult a doctor through the Tehran website. In Darmankade, it is possible to make an appointment for an in-person visit or online consultation of an infectious disease doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Knowing the difference between the corona and the flu will help you to diagnose these two diseases more easily. Corona and influenza are different in terms of the incubation period, the type of symptoms, the severity of symptoms and the course of the disease.

Influenza and corona are caused by viruses from completely different families. There is currently no evidence that the flu vaccine is effective against the coronavirus.

There is considerable overlap between the risk groups for both diseases. Factors that increase the risk of serious illness for corona and influenza include: age over 65, living for a long time in residential facilities such as nursing homes, obesity and having underlying diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, HIV, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and liver disease.

Sources: healthline, medicalnewstoday

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