Is It the Flu, A Cold, Fall Allergies, or COVID-19?

With flu season fast approaching and the pandemic still present, chronic disease patients may feel more stressed than ever before.

The fact that the coronavirus, the common cold, the flu, and even seasonal allergies all share similar symptoms can confuse people thinking they may be COVID-19 positive.

To help tell the difference between these conditions, we’ve compiled the most common symptoms of each illness. We hope to ease the mind of chronic disease patients and their families and help them make better health care choices should they experience symptoms compatible with COVID-19.

The Difference Between the Flu and COVID-19

Influenza or flu and COVID-19 are both viral, highly contagious respiratory illnesses. However, the virus responsible for each disease is different.

SARS-CoV-2 is a new strand of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, while different strands of influenza viruses are responsible for flu infections.

Both illnesses produce similar symptoms making it hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. For this reason, chronic disease patients should consult their physicians when symptoms arise. Your doctor will determine if testing is needed to confirm a diagnosis.

According to the CDC, both COVID-19 and flu patients can spread the virus at least one day before symptoms appear.

The main difference is that COVID-19 patients can remain contagious for a more extended period than flu patients.

Typically, older children and adults are more contagious during the first 3-4 days of illness, but can remain infectious for up to seven days.

In the case of infants and people with a weakened immune system, the contagion period can extend even longer.

Both diseases also result in complications, which include:

• Pneumonia
• Respiratory failure
• Multiple-organ failure including respiratory failure, kidney failure, shock
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (i.e., fluid in the lungs)
• Sepsis
• Heart attacks and stroke
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions that affect the lungs, heart, nervous system, or diabetes
• Inflammation of the heart, brain, or muscle tissues
• Secondary bacterial infections

COVID-19 can sometimes carry additional complications such as blood clots in the lungs, heart, legs, or brain, as well as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and adults (MIS-A).

Symptom Checker

The following chart highlights the most common symptoms of COVID-19, flu, the common cold, and seasonal allergies.

The material presented is for informational purposes only and should not be used to reach a self-diagnosis. Chronic disease patients should always consult their physician when they experience any new or worsening symptoms.

Symptoms	COVID-19	Flu	Common Cold	Seasonal Allergies
Length of Symptoms	7-25 days	7-14 days	Less than 14 days	Several Weeks
Cough	Common (Usually Dry)	Common (Usually Dry)	Common (Mild)	Rare (Usually Dry Unless it Triggers Asthma)
Shortness of Breath	Sometimes	No	No	No
Chest Tightness/pain	Sometimes	No	No	No
Rapid Breathing	Sometimes	No	No	No
Sneezing	No	Sometimes	Common	Common
Runny or Stuffy Nose	Rare	Sometimes	Common	Common
Sore Throat	Sometimes	Sometimes	Common	Sometimes (Usually Mild)
Fever	Common	Common	Short Fever Period	No
Feeling Tired and Weak	Sometimes	Common	Sometimes	Sometimes
Headaches	Sometimes	Common	Rare	Sometimes (Related to Sinus Pain)
Body Aches and Pains	Sometimes	Common	Common	No
Diarrhea, Nausea, and Vomiting	Sometimes	Sometimes	Rare	No
Chills	Sometimes	Sometimes	No	No
Loss of Taste or Smell	Sometimes	Rare	Rare	Rare

Sources: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO)

Is It the Flu, A Cold, Fall Allergies, or COVID-19?

The common cold, flu, and COVID-19 can spread from person-to-person, especially those in close proximity (6-feet or less).

The virus is spread mainly by droplets from sick individuals, even those who are asymptomatic, when they cough, sneeze or talk. If these droplets land in the mouths or noses of people nearby, they can become infected.

Additionally, viruses can survive on surfaces and in the air for some time. If a person touches a surface or object with the virus and then touches their eyes, mouth, or nose, they may become infected.

For these reasons, the best way to prevent infection from either the common cold, flu, or COVID-19 is to:

• Maintain a physical distance of at least 6-feet
• Regularly wash hands with soap and water
• Wear a mask when out in public
• Regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and objects such as door handles
• Stay home if you develop mild to moderate symptoms

Altus Biologics urges any chronic disease patient who suspects they may have COVID-19 or those who develop severe flu symptoms to reach out to their doctor for medical advice.