Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vs. The Flu Coronavirus Symptoms Vs Flu Symptoms

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Influenza “the flu” and COVID-19, the sickness caused by the new coronavirus, are both infectious respiratory illnesses. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses.

You can find up-to-date details on COVID-19 at the .

, senior director of disease prevention at Johns Hopkins, explains how the flu and COVID-19 are alike and how they are different.

Similarities: COVID-19 and the Flu

Symptoms

• Both source fever, cough, body aches, fatigue; sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.
• Can exist mild or severe, even fatal in rare cases.
• Can result in pneumonia.

Transmission

• Both can exist extend from individual to individual through droplets in the air from an infected individual coughing, sneezing or talking.
• A viable difference: COVID-19 might exist extend through the airborne way (see details below under Differences).
• Flu can exist extend by an infected individual intended several days before their symptoms appear, and COVID-19 is believed to exist extend in the same manner, but we don’t yet know intended sure.

Treatment

• Neither virus is treatable with antibiotics, which only work on bacterial infections.
• Both may exist treated by addressing symptoms, such as reducing fever. Severe cases may require hospitalization and back such as mechanical ventilation.

Prevention

Both may exist prevented by frequent, thorough hand washing, coughing into the rogue of your elbow, staying home when sick and limiting contact with persons who are infected.

Differences: COVID-19 and the Flu

Cause

COVID-19: Caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus, now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.

Flu: Caused by any of several different types and strains of influenza viruses.

Transmission

While both the flu and COVID-19 may exist transmitted in alike ways (see the Similarities piece above), there is also a viable difference: COVID-19 might exist extend through the airborne route, meaning that tiny droplets remaining in the air could source condition in others even after the ill individual is no longer near.

Antiviral Medications

COVID-19: Antiviral medications are currently being tested to see if they can address symptoms.

Flu: Antiviral medications can address symptoms and sometimes shorten the duration of the illness.

Vaccine

COVID-19: No vaccine is accessible at this time, though it is in progress.

Flu: A vaccine is accessible and effective to prevent some of the most dangerous types or to reduce the severity of the flu.

Infections

COVID-19: Approximately 174,884 cases worldwide; 3,813 cases in the U.S. as of Mar. 16, 2020.*

Flu: Estimated 1 billion cases worldwide; 9.3 million to 45 million cases in the U.S. per year.

Deaths

COVID-19: Approximately 6,705 deaths reported worldwide; 69 deaths in the U.S., as of Mar. 16, 2020.*

Flu: 291,000 to 646,000 deaths worldwide; 12,000 to 61,000 deaths in the U.S. per year.

The COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly. Since this condition is caused by a new virus, persons do not have immunity to it, and a vaccine may exist various months away. Doctors and scientists are working on estimating the mortality pace of COVID-19, but at present, it is thought to exist higher than that of most strains of the flu.

*This details comes from the .

Coronavirus Disease 2019

What you need to know from Johns Hopkins Medicine.

 

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