As winter approaches, it becomes even more important to clarify the differences between Virus, Flu and Covid-19.
All three are diseases that affect the respiratory system and have symptoms in common.
Despite the similarities, there are also differences that, when understood, can help bring clarity and peace of mind.
Flu
What is it?
Influenza is an acute viral disease that predominantly affects the respiratory tract.
It is caused by viruses from the Orthomyxoviridae family, which includes the viruses influenza A, B and C.
What is the incubation period?
The flu has anincubation period of one to four days.
What are the most common symptoms?
The most common symptoms are fever, sore throat, body aches, intense fatigue and a moderate to severe cough.
Virus
What is it?
A viral infection, commonly known as a cold, is an infection of the respiratory tract caused by a virus, most of which are Rhinoviruses (a family with more than 100 serotypes).
It is usually mild.
What is the incubation period?
Rhinovirus infections are associated with symptoms that develop rapidly, peaking 2-3 days after infection, while respiratory syncytial virus infections are associated with symptoms that develop slowly over 5 or more days.
What are the most common symptoms?
The most common symptoms are nasal congestion, sneezing and a sore throat, with a mild to moderate cough.
The cold tends to pass quickly and does not require any specific treatment.
Covid-19
What is it?
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, and has a clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe conditions.
What is the incubation period?
The infection period (time between exposure to the virus and the appearance of symptoms) is currently considered to be 14 days.
transmission by asymptomatic people (without symptoms) is still being investigated.
What are the most common symptoms?
According to the World Health Organization, the majority (around 80%) of COVID-19 patients can be asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic (few symptoms).
The symptoms that have been most commonly reported in the detection of Covid-19 are fever, cough, altered sense of taste and smell and difficulty breathing (in more severe cases).
Check out this infographic to better distinguish between the symptoms of a virus, the flu and Covid-19.
