Every day we answer a question about corona from our audience. Sander wonders whether the symptoms of the coronavirus are different in the second wave from the first wave. “Does this have to do with the flu period?”
Sneezing and fever
To answer this question, let’s first consider the symptoms, because what are these again? According to it RIVM In the beginning, the complaints of the coronavirus often resemble a cold. Many people get a cold, runny nose, sneezing or a sore throat. Often stuffiness, elevation or fever and a sudden loss of smell and / or taste are added.
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A virus is constantly changing, we call that mutation. By constantly adjusting something, the virus can survive longer. During the spread, a little changes in the DNA of the virus. Mutation can go two ways. In theory, the coronavirus can get milder, but also more serious.
At the moment, according to the RIVM, it does not seem that the corona virus has become milder. Also the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier that “the severity of the disease has not changed”.
‘Infectiousness is the same’
Also, the way the virus spreads is not much different now than during the first wave, according to the WHO. The Dutch RIVM also investigated this. “You saw a time when mainly young people were infected and the elderly were left behind. Then we investigated that, but so far it does not seem that the virus is any less contagious,” said a spokesman.
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‘Symptoms the same’
Whether the symptoms may have changed? RIVM currently has no reason to assume that this is the case either. “We also do not have the impression that people are now less ill than in the first wave,” says a spokesman.
According to him, there is no relationship with the flu season. “The flu season has not really started yet. That’s why people now get a flu shot.”
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