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Editorial Board
08 November 2020 15:14
How is the flu different from the coronavirus and when to suspect Covid-19? Between breathing difficulties, sore throat, fever and cough, the main symptoms of the two diseases are quite similar. That is why in most cases only a swab can tell if it is coronavirus, giving a true diagnosis. Now a test could help us distinguish between influenza and coronavirus.
“Probably next week these tests will arrive to distinguish covid and influenza. These tests, which are antigenic tests, allow us in a very short time, between 15 and 30 minutes, to know if the subject subjected to the test has continuous viral activity. of coronavirus or flu. It is useless to underline the great importance of this test at a time when, unfortunately, the epidemic curve is still ongoing and overlaps with the flu curve. It will be very relevant from a public health point of view ”. To affirm that it is Francesco Vaia, medical director of the Spallanzani Institute in Rome during the broadcast of Rai 1 Good morning wellness. The costs of the test “will be very low at 4 to 10 euros,” added Vaia.
Coronavirus and flu: how to distinguish symptoms
While you wait for the test, there are a few tricks that can help you understand what illness you are dealing with. Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti, director of the Department of Pediatrics at the Buzzi Hospital in Milan, explained to Corriere della Sera that if a child only has a cold, without accompanying symptoms such as gastrointestinal upset and conjunctivitis, “we can be pretty sure that we are dealing with a classic case of seasonal cold.”
In short, in general, if the same symptom occurs individually, it is more likely to be associated with the classic seasonal disease. When, on the other hand, a cold is added to a fever above 37.5 degrees and other symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, the situation changes. Dr. Zuccotti explains that in this case it is correct to suspect the coronavirus.
There are some symptoms that should not be underestimated, such as sudden loss of taste and smell (typical symptom of Covid-19). However, this symptom should not be confused with difficulty smelling and tasting due to nasal congestion. In the latter case, it is still possible to distinguish between sweet and sour, for example, while those who suffer from Covid-19 and develop the symptom do not feel any difference between one food and another. “However, these are subjective symptoms and it is difficult for children under the age of six to tell them,” Zuccotti explained.
too cough it is a symptom that should not be underestimated. In the case of coronavirus infection, it is dry and persistent. “During winter, in addition to the flu, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also circulates, capable of infecting the respiratory system and causing asthmatic bronchitis and bronchiolitis with irritating cough as a symptom and therefore a differential diagnosis will be necessary. However, sometimes these forms do not cause fever ”, the expert stressed. In general, parents should suspect a Covid-19 infection when they notice symptoms that are unusual and not related to conditions such as asthma or allergies. The latter, recalls the pediatrician, are accompanied by fever only in rare cases.
