10:00 AM
Sunday 08 November 2020
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Fall and winter cause more cases of colds and seasonal flu, and the symptoms may be difficult to distinguish because they can lead to a cough, but each has its own distinctive hallmarks.
A study conducted in August from the University of Southern California identified a distinct arrangement of symptoms among “Covid-19” patients: Most patients with symptoms start with a fever, followed by cough. And for seasonal flu, the opposite is usually the case – people generally have a cough before the fever, according to Russia Today.
And if you get a cold, meanwhile, you will likely start with a sore throat as the first symptom, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Many Covid-19 patients never get a fever, and some flu patients never cough. For this reason, it is also helpful to think about how quickly symptoms will appear, and for how long.
How does Covid-19, flu, cold and allergies appear and develop?
Coronavirus cases tend to develop more gradually than influenza. While some people begin to show symptoms of “Covid-19” within two days of infection, and symptoms of the disease may take up to two weeks to appear. On average, people begin to feel sick five days after infection.
On the other hand, people with influenza usually feel sick one to four days after exposure. Most patients then recover completely within less than two weeks, often within a few days.
Many coronavirus patients recover within two weeks as well, but an increasing proportion of patients reported symptoms that lasted for months.
In contrast, common cold symptoms usually reach their peak within two to three days of infection – but, like the Coronavirus, they often appear gradually. Some cold symptoms last longer than others: Patients with a typical cold may have a sore throat for eight days, a headache for nine to 10 days, and a congestion and runny nose or cough for more than two weeks.
The allergy tends to last longer – roughly two to three weeks for each allergen – and won’t resolve until the allergen leaves the air. Seasonal allergies also tend to be more severe in the spring.
Coronavirus cases range from asymptomatic to mild to severe.
“I’ve never seen an infection with such a wide range of appearances,” Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in July.
Several patients have reported cases that do not appear on the official CDC list, including hair loss, hiccups, purple rashes and swollen toes.
A large proportion of Covid-19 patients lose their sense of taste or smell – this is perhaps the strongest indicator of infection with the Coronavirus, according to a study conducted in June by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and King’s College London.
Likewise, a Spanish case study found that nearly 40% of “Covid-19” patients developed disturbances in the sense of smell and / or taste, compared to only 12% of influenza patients.
Symptoms such as fever or headache can help rule out allergies or colds as well. Meanwhile, people with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose than Covid-19 patients. Cold symptoms are generally milder.
One of the hallmarks of the allergy – itchy eyes – is not linked to any of the other three diseases.
Ultimately, the best way to find out if you have COVID-19 is to undergo a diagnostic test. In order for the results to appear negative, people must stay at home if they feel ill or have been exposed to a person with confirmed infection with the virus.
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