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The flu or common cold, influenza, and covid are respiratory infections. As the symptoms can be confused, the Ministry of Health issued a statement to clarify the signs that occur in each case.
“Covid-19 can present in a mild, moderate or severe way and the evidence indicates that a dry cough, fever greater than or equal to 38 degrees Celsius, with chills, and a feeling of suffocation are the most common symptoms. Others less frequent, but also associated with the new coronavirus, are a sore throat, headache, loss of smell and taste ”, details Minsalud.
It is added that headache and loss of smell and taste do not occur in a common cold or flu, nor in influenza.
Minsalud specifies that the most frequent symptoms in the common cold or flu and in influenza are: nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, chills, sneezing, feeling of tiredness, sore throat, body aches, cough and general ill feeling . “Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, although this is more common in children than in adults,” added in the communication.
José Alejandro Mojica, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at Minsalud, quoted in the statement, states that, “although they are symptoms that may be similar, it is important to differentiate them.” He emphasizes that, for example, it takes into account “if the person had contact with someone who has a diagnosis of covid-19, that will allow us to evaluate what infection condition they present.
However, the infectologist recommends in all cases to consult the health services through the EPS and “self-isolate together with the family nucleus until having ruled out if it is covid-19”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that “the time that elapses between exposure to covid-19 and the moment when symptoms begin is usually around five or six days, but can vary between one and 14 days”.
In this regard, Mojica points out that in the case of the common cold, this time of onset of symptoms varies between one and two days; whereas in influenza, symptoms can appear between one and four days.
“Both covid-19 and influenza can cause serious illness. The risk of complications in healthy children is higher in the case of influenza, compared to the new coronavirus ”, indicates the pediatrician.
Minsalud recommends self-care to prevent all respiratory infections: self-isolation, physical distancing, hand and surface washing, and the use of face masks.
“The only respiratory virus preventable by vaccination is the influenza virus, hence the importance of vaccination every year,” concludes Mojica.
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