What’s the difference between coronavirus and the flu? Your questions answered
Seasonal flu, a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus, kills thousands of Americans each winter and sends many more to hospitals and clinics.
This year’s flu season will be complicated by coronavirus, another respiratory illness caused by a virus that produces the same symptoms as the flu but has proven more contagious and more deadly. So far, more than 2,950 people have died of COVID-19 in North Carolina, nearly twice as many as those who died from flu in the state over the last decade, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Hospital and public health officials worry about the two diseases spreading through the population at the same time and are working to prevent that as much as possible. As the world waits for scientists to develop a coronavirus vaccine, doctors are urging people to get vaccinated against the flu.
“We don’t know at this time what the impact of having coronavirus and possibly the flu at the same time will be, but it’s really important to prevent what you can,” said Cheryl Jackson, chief of pediatric emergency medicine at the UNC School of Medicine.
Here are some common questions about the flu and coronavirus:
Q: What’s the difference between coronavirus and the flu?
A: Both are contagious respiratory illnesses, but they’re caused by different viruses. While flu can be prevented through vaccination, scientists are still working on a vaccine for coronavirus.
Q: Are the symptoms the same?
A: Mostly, yes. Symptoms in someone infected by flu and coronavirus can range from none to severe and include cough, congestion, sore throat, difficulty breathing, fever or chills, fatigue, head or body aches, diarrhea and vomiting. One symptom peculiar to COVID-19 is loss of taste or smell. Both illnesses can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure and heart attacks or strokes, but COVID-19 also appears to cause blood clots.
Q: How will I know whether what I have is the flu or coronavirus?
A: There are tests for both, and you should contact a physician or clinic to arrange for them. LabCorp and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they each offer tests that will check for both flu and coronavirus at the same time.
Q: Is there a cure for the flu or coronavirus?
A: No. Flu can be treated with anti-viral drugs that reduce the severity of symptoms and the length of the illness. Doctors say these drugs work better if given early in the illness, particularly for people who are at risk of developing complications.
As for COVID-19, there are no FDA-approved treatments yet, but doctors are using the anti-viral drug remdesivir through special emergency authorization. Doctors have also found that steroids help reduce some of the symptoms of COVID-19.
Q: Who is most at risk of becoming severely ill from flu and coronavirus?
A: Those at highest risk of complications from both diseases include older adults, pregnant women and people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma and chronic kidney or heart disease. Healthy children are more at risk from the flu than coronavirus, but some children have developed a rare but serious condition called multi-system inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, after contracting COVID-19.
Q: When is the best time to get a flu shot?
A: September and October, before flu season really gets started, are the best times to get vaccinated, according to the CDC. But people can still get a flu shot well into the winter.
Q: Will a flu shot protect me against COVID-19?
A: No. The viruses that cause the two diseases are different.
Q: Will wearing a mask and social distancing be enough to keep me from getting the flu?
A: They will certainly help. Jackson at UNC notes that when states ordered people to stay home in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic last spring, the number of flu cases dropped sharply. Wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands “absolutely will prevent or slow down the transmission of influenza as well as coronavirus and other viruses,” she said.
But the best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated, Jackson and other doctors say.
Q: Does someone need to be sick with flu or COVID-19 to be contagious?
A: No. The CDC says most people can spread the flu and coronavirus for at least a day before they develop symptoms, but that people with coronavirus are thought to remain contagious for longer. People with the flu are most contagious in the first four days but can spread the virus for up to seven days after becoming sick. Coronavirus patients remain contagious for at least 10 days, even if their symptoms go away, according to the CDC.
Q: How long does it take to get sick after being infected with the virus?
A: A person usually develops flu symptoms one to four days after being infected. Coronavirus typically takes five days to make someone sick and can take as long as 14 days.
Q: I got a flu shot last year. Will that prevent the flu this season?
A: No. Flu viruses change from year to year, and so do the vaccines.
Q: Where can I get vaccinated for the flu?
A: The flu vaccine is widely available at clinics, doctors offices, public health departments and pharmacies. Many employers arrange for their workers to get a shot as well. To find a vaccination point near you, go to vaccinefinder.org/.
Q: Are school children required to get a seasonal flu shot?
A: No, not in North Carolina. But the state and CDC both recommend that all children six months and older receive a yearly flu shot.
This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 2:52 PM with the headline "What’s the difference between coronavirus and the flu? Your questions answered."
