The fact that the coronavirus, which has recently entered our lives, shows similar symptoms with flu, cold or seasonal allergy symptoms can make people nervous. However, there are certain differences between these diseases.
What is Coronavirus?
SARS-CoV-2, which shows its symptoms especially on the respiratory tract and can cause death in some cases, if the coronavirus, or COVID-19, is infected. It is a type of disease caused by the virus. It first appeared in Wuhan, China, towards the end of 2019, and there are still many claims about how it is transmitted to humans. Since the rate of transmission from person to person is very high, people need to protect themselves from the virus in certain ways. In particular, people with certain respiratory diseases, people with chronic diseases, and people over the age of 65 are in the greatest risk group for coronavirus.
What Are the Symptoms of Coronavirus?
- Fever,
- Dyspnea,
- Pain or pressure felt in the chest, Loss of appetite,
- Dry cough,Fatigue,
- Taste and odor Nasal congestion,
- Sore throat,
- Headache,
- Muscle or joint pain,
Who are the Persons at Risk of Serious Diseases?
- People aged 60 and over ,
- Patients with high blood pressure,
- People with chronic heart or lung problems,
- Diabetes,
- Obesity,
- People with a history of cancer can be counted as risk groups and it is recommended that these people protect themselves extra.
What is the flu?
Influenza, like coronavirus It is a disease that begins to show symptoms when a certain type of virus enters the organism. But the types of viruses here differ. Influenza makes people sick due to certain types of viruses called influenza. Sudden fever may occur in a person infected with these virus types, and this disease first affects the nose, then the throat, and finally the lungs. respiratory tract It is similar to the coronavirus in terms of affecting the Influenza outbreaks usually occur as the weather changes enter winter (October - November) and enter summer (March - April). This disease is transmitted from person to person as a result of the sneezing or coughing of the sick person in public areas, the droplets carrying the live viruses that cause the disease come out of the mouth and scatter into the environment. In order to prevent this from happening, people with flu should not enter public areas as much as possible, if they have to, cover their mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing, wash their hands constantly, and ventilate indoor environments frequently.
What are the Symptoms of Flu?
- Fever (38 - 41°C),
- Headache,
- Feeling of tiredness,
- Dry cough,
- Sore throat,
- Runny nose,
- Muscle pains can be counted as.
How to Treat the Flu?
The biggest misconception known in the treatment of flu is that antibiotics are effective. Since the flu is a viral disease, it is actually quite wrong to try to treat it with antibiotics, and this can lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful in the treatment of flu. However, antibiotics can be used under the control of a doctor in the treatment of diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis and middle ear infection, which can sometimes develop as a second disease in people who have the disease. In general, it is important to drink plenty of water and rest in the treatment of flu. There are also several viral drugs for the treatment of the flu. Since the disease is caused by a virus, drugs of viral origin are used in its treatment, and some of these drugs are drugs containing the active ingredient Amandatine, Rimandatine, Zanamivir and Oseltamivir. The use of these drugs should also be under the supervision of a doctor. is from. Aspirin is not recommended for children and young people who have the flu, as it can cause Reye's Syndrome. It is very important to be vaccinated before the flu season for protection from the disease, but since these vaccines can cause certain side effects, it is useful to consult a doctor before getting vaccinated. It is especially important to vaccinate children, those over the age of 65 and those with chronic diseases. It is also recommended that hospital workers be vaccinated to prevent hospital infections.
What is a Cold?
Mild symptoms compared to flu, which can be caused by approximately 200 virus types other than influenza virus, also known as common cold.
What are the Differences Between Influenza and Colds?
- The onset of the flu is sudden, but the symptoms appear gradually in the common cold.
- Fever is common in flu and can stay above 38 degrees for a few days, but fever is rarely seen in colds. >Headache is prominently felt in the flu, but it is rarely seen in the common cold.
- Muscle pain is also much more pronounced and much more severe in the flu than in the common cold.
- The state of malaise or weakness is much more common in the flu. It is seen and lasts longer, so rest is very important, but this situation is very mild in colds. >
What are the Differences And Similarities Between Flu, Flu, Covid-19?
- The biggest difference between flu and coronavirus symptoms The difference is breathing difficulties. A person caught with coronavirus has a distinct difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath.
- Colds are usually severe It is not an infectious disease and the patient can recover by resting and without using medication, but flu and coronavirus symptoms are more severe in the patient. Another important point in distinguishing between coronavirus and flu is that the coronavirus affects the lungs very quickly, but it takes time for the influenza virus to descend into the lungs. That is, when a person has the flu, this disease does not usually cause pneumonia, as it takes time for the virus to descend into the lungs. The coronavirus, on the other hand, can cause pneumonia and sputum because it descends to the lungs quickly. It is important to follow these rules in order not to catch the coronavirus.
- Another important difference is that sneezing, nasal congestion or runny nose, which we often encounter in flu and cold, is very rarely seen in people who have coronavirus. Coronavirus symptoms can sometimes be confused with seasonal allergy symptoms. The biggest difference between them is that people infected with coronavirus often have a high fever, but people with seasonal allergies are not expected to show such a symptom. We also see that people with seasonal allergies often sneeze, have watery eyes, and experience nasal congestion or runny nose. The probability of these symptoms being seen in people who have coronavirus is very low.
You can ask the expert team of Group Florence Nightingale Hospitals about flu, coronavirus and the common cold, and ask for suggestions regarding your question. To reach us, you can use the contact form on our website or call 444 0436.
Read: 22
