The flu and the COVID-19 coronavirus appear to be very similar. After all, both are respiratory diseases and are contagious
The flu and the COVID-19 coronavirus appear to be very similar. After all, both are respiratory diseases and are transmitted through contact with infectious respiratory droplets. Beyond that, however, they differ in important ways. What are some of these differences and why are they important?
The flu and the COVID-19 coronavirus appear to be very similar. After all, both are respiratory diseases and are contagious
[Sursa: PixaBay]
Contagiousness
One of the differences between COVID-19 and the flu is that the former appears to be more contagious than the seasonal flu. One person infected with the flu spreads the disease to 1.3 other people.
In the case of COVID-19, one infected person spreads the disease to 2 to 2.5 other people.
Disease severity and mortality rate
COVID-19 also appears to cause more serious illness more often than seasonal flu. Part of this difference can be attributed to the fact that COVID-19 is caused by a new type of coronavirus, against which humans have no immunity. Instead, many people have at least some degree of immunity to seasonal flu, enough to prevent hospitalization and complications in most cases.
In the same vein, COVID-19 is deadlier than the flu. The fatality rate of the flu is about 0.1 percent. Meanwhile, the mortality rate for COVID-19 is estimated to be around 1.4-4.5 percent, with the risk of death being significantly higher in older people than in younger people.
The flu and the COVID-19 coronavirus appear to be very similar. After all, both are respiratory diseases and are contagious [Sursa: PixaBay]
Seasonal character
Seasonal flu, as its name suggests, tends to come and go with changing climates. Flu viruses circulate throughout the year, but the number of new flu cases generally increases in the colder months and decreases in the warmer months of the year. This does not mean that cold weather causes the flu; rather, the cool weather, by bringing people indoors, along with other changes, is a contributing factor.
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It is possible that COVID-19 will turn out to be a seasonal disease, similar to the flu. However, experts warn that, at least for now, amid the ongoing pandemic, warmer weather is unlikely to banish the disease. COVID-19 is a new disease and there are many millions of people around the world who have not yet been exposed. This deep pool of potential hosts could fuel sustained transmission throughout the Northern Hemisphere summer and Southern Hemisphere winter. However, many factors determine the seasonality of diseases, and more time is needed before conclusions can be drawn that COVID-19 is a seasonal disease.
The causative agent
A more obvious difference between influenza and COVID-19 is their causative agents. Influenza viruses belong to a family of viruses known as Orthomyxoviridae. COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which is classified in the Coronaviridae family. Both families are made up of RNA viruses, but differ in particular in the protein coat that encapsulates the RNA.
Specifically, influenza viruses express two surface antigens (foreign proteins) – hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) – which trigger an immune response. The exact form of these antigens changes from time to time, leading to the periodic emergence of new, more virulent influenza viruses with the potential to cause a pandemic. The surface of SARS-CoV-2 does not have these antigens. Rather, as with other types of coronaviruses, its outer surface is studded with spikes of glycoproteins, which give these viruses a crown or coronal appearance. The spiked glycoproteins are responsible for triggering the immune response and perform the critical function of allowing the coronavirus particle to enter cells, where it replicates.
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2023-12-24 13:53:38
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