With warm temperatures during the daytime and a sudden cool shift into the evening/nighttime, the autumn season is one of the easiest times for people to catch a cold(or the flu). However, with the countless numbers of COVID patients still luring in our midst, it can be quite difficult to discern if what we might’ve caught may well be just a mere autumn cold, the flu, or our modern-day arch nemesis of COVID-19. Pyeongtaek Insight has come up with a few tips that will hopefully assist you when trying to figure out what in the world you might have contracted.
The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but are caused by different viruses, and because these two types of infections have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell them apart based on symptoms alone. Generally speaking, the flu is worse than the common cold, with more intense symptoms. Flu usually comes on suddenly, whereas a cold comes on gradually. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose — and colds generally don’t result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Special tests that must be done within the first few days of illness can tell if a person has the flu.
People with the flu often feel a sudden onset of symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, or fatigue. Some may even experience vomiting and diarrhea, which is more common in children. Similarly, those who caught a cold are most likely to experience symptoms such as sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, a mild cough, body aches, and fatigue or weakness.
On the other hand, COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness caused by infection with the new coronavirus bacteria. Patients who have contracted COVID have reported a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus and can be more temperate in those vaccinated. Though unlimited to the number of symptoms, those who have contracted COVID have commonly reported symptoms such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. When in doubt, the best diagnosis method would be to get tested.
Another factor to be aware of is seasonal allergies triggered by airborne pollen that can lead to seasonal allergic rhinitis, affecting the nose and sinuses, and seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, which affects the eyes. Symptoms of seasonal allergies may include itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, fatigue, headache, sore throat, congestion, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing. Due to the close similarity in symptoms with COVID-19, being tested is the best option for a more accurate diagnosis.
As we have entered the beginning of cooler seasons, we must never forget to take care of our bodies, eat healthy foods, and get the proper treatment.
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