{"id":409,"date":"2022-10-18T04:36:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T04:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/?p=409"},"modified":"2022-10-21T04:39:15","modified_gmt":"2022-10-21T04:39:15","slug":"covid-vs-flu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/influenza-medications\/covid-vs-flu\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID vs. Flu: How Do I Tell the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Highlights\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>COVID-19 and influenza are contagious respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>COVID and the flu have many overlapping symptoms, which makes it difficult to tell them apart without diagnostic testing.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>COVID symptoms typically appear between two and 14 days after exposure, while flu symptoms typically appear between one and four days after exposure.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>COVID infection is generally more severe than the flu and can cause serious long-term complications in healthy adults.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>The best way to prevent COVID and the flu is to get vaccinated for both.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>The flu can be treated with antiviral medications if caught in time.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hit with a new cough or other cold-like symptoms? With so many viruses going around, it can be hard to determine if it\u2019s COVID vs. the flu. This article will discuss the differences between COVID-19 and influenza so you can access the right treatment for recovery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>COVID vs. the Flu<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/influenza-medications\/what-is-influenza\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Influenza<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also called the flu, and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they\u2019re caused by different viruses. The flu is caused by infection from an influenza virus, while COVID is caused by infection from a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/your-health\/about-covid-19.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">coronavirus<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (SARS-CoV-2).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like many viral infections, COVID and the flu spread in similar ways. COVID and the flu also have many overlapping symptoms, but they also have a few key differences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarities between COVID and influenza include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How they spread<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overlapping cold-like symptoms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people can recover at home<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some people are at a higher risk for severe illness and complications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infection can be prevented with vaccination<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Antiviral medications are available to help people recover<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/symptoms\/flu-vs-covid19.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Differences<\/span> <\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">between COVID and influenza include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The virus that causes infection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How quickly the viruses mutate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Severity of symptoms and long-term complications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infectious period<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different vaccines are used to prevent infection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different antiviral medications are used to treat each virus<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make things more complicated, you can become infected with both COVID and influenza at the same time. The best way to determine which infection(s) you have is to see a provider for diagnostic testing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Which Is More Severe?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both COVID and the flu can cause severe illness and long-term complications in people considered high risk. When compared with influenza, COVID has been shown to cause more severe infection and serious complications in healthy children and adults. COVID infection typically lasts longer, and people tend to be contagious for a longer period of time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People considered high risk for severe infection and complications from both COVID and the flu include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Older adults<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People with compromised immune systems or existing health conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who are pregnant<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Serious complications from COVID include, but aren\u2019t limited to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chronic fatigue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blood clots<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (in children)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Post-COVID conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulmonary issues<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Which Spreads More Easily?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID and the flu can be spread from close contact with an infected person. They are both spread through particles expelled when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. Most people are infected by breathing in these particles, but some people can become infected after touching a contaminated surface and then touching their own eyes, nose, or mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/science\/science-briefs\/sars-cov-2-transmission.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current data<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> suggests that COVID spreads more easily than influenza. Several factors can contribute to COVID transmission, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Superspreader events. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The virus that causes COVID can spread quickly among people, which results in more superspreading events than the flu.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Symptoms.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> People can be contagious and spread COVID before they show any symptoms. Some people can even be contagious without ever showing symptoms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Length of illness.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> COVID infection typically lasts longer than the flu. This means there is a greater window of time for someone to pass the virus to another person.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reinfection. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People can become infected with COVID more than once.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Aerosolized particles.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> COVID particles can become aerosolized, meaning they can remain in the air for minutes to hours after being expelled from an infected person.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Is it COVID or the Flu?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID and influenza share many of the same symptoms. Infections can range from mild to severe. Some people may become infected without showing any symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overlapping COVID and flu symptoms include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cough<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diarrhea (most common in children)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatigue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fever or chills<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Headache<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Muscle pain or body aches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Runny or stuffy nose<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sore throat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temporary changes in sense of taste or smell (most common in COVID)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vomiting<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Key Differences in Symptoms<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The average symptom onset and length of infection differ between COVID and influenza.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID symptoms typically appear between two and 14 days following exposure. COVID symptoms tend to come on gradually, and they tend to last longer than the flu. Some people also develop <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/long-term-effects\/index.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long COVID<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can last for weeks after infection, and in some cases, much longer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flu symptoms typically appear between one and four days following exposure to an influenza virus. Flu symptoms tend to come on suddenly. Flu infections tend to resolve within a few days or up to two weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>COVID vs. Influenza: Diagnosis<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-412\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/2.jpeg-83.jpg\" alt=\"Nurse doing a Covid test\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You cannot distinguish between a COVID and flu infection without testing. COVID and influenza require specific tests to confirm diagnosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can perform a rapid test using an at-home testing kit for COVID. However, testing in a provider\u2019s office can get you more accurate results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your provider will likely perform a physical exam and order tests to confirm your diagnosis. They may test you for COVID, influenza, and strep throat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>COVID vs. Influenza: Treatment<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people can recover at home from a COVID or flu infection with over-the-counter medications. People who are considered high-risk or who have severe symptoms should seek medical care to reduce their risk for complications. Seeking care as early as possible can help you to get the best treatment possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are different prescription antiviral medications available to support recovery from COVID and the flu. Your provider can help you to determine if antiviral medications are right for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because both conditions are caused by viruses rather than bacteria, antibiotics will not relieve your symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Influenza Treatment<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four antiviral medications to treat the flu:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugs.com\/oseltamivir.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oseltamivir<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Tamiflu)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugs.com\/mtm\/zanamivir.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zanamivir <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Relenza)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugs.com\/mtm\/peramivir.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peramivir<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Rapivab)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugs.com\/mtm\/baloxavir-marboxil.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baloxavir marboxil<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Xofluza)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FDA has approved certain antiviral medications, like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drugs.com\/mtm\/nirmatrelvir-and-ritonavir.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nirmatrelvir and ritonavir<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Paxlovid) to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/your-health\/treatments-for-severe-illness.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">treat COVID-19 <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in some people. The antiviral medications used to treat COVID are different from the medications used to treat the flu. These medications may not be right for everyone and may require close monitoring.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>COVID Treatment<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FDA has also approved the use of certain monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID. These antibodies help your body recognize and respond more effectively to the virus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>COVID and Influenza Prevention<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-411\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/3.jpeg-80.jpg\" alt=\"Man after a shot wearing a mask\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to prevent the flu and COVID is to get vaccinated. Although vaccines aren\u2019t 100 percent effective, they can significantly reduce your risk of developing severe symptoms and health complications.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Influenza Prevention<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are multiple <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/prevent\/keyfacts.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">influenza vaccines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> available to protect against seasonal flu. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that most people six months or older get vaccinated for the flu.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>COVID Prevention<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FDA has also approved multiple <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/vaccines\/index.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vaccines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to protect against COVID-19. Your provider can recommend the best vaccine and booster based on your individual health factors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>COVID and Influenza Prevention<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to getting vaccinated, you can prevent the spread of COVID and the flu by:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wearing a face mask in public places<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequently washing your hands with soap and water<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Covering all coughs and sneezes in a tissue or the crook of your elbow<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staying home while you\u2019re sick<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoiding contact with people who are symptomatic<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping physical distance from others in public spaces<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Find the Lowest Price for All Your Medications<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BidRx can help you get all of your medications at the best possible price. Once you\u2019ve signed up, you can create a bid for the medications you need. We invite pharmacies across the country to compete to offer you the lowest price possible. You can choose to pick your prescription up locally or have it delivered directly to your door from your preferred online, mail-order, or specialty service provider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/home\/Contents\/medication\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bid<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and start saving today!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Highlights\u00a0\u00a0 COVID-19 and influenza are contagious respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses.\u00a0 COVID and the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-influenza-medications"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=409"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":415,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409\/revisions\/415"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidrx.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}