Covid-19 is officially running rampant in China and has appeared in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Singaporeans, have been told by the government to wash your hands and not touch your face, and not to bother wearing a mask if you're still feeling okay.
With the novel coronavirus hogging the news as of late, it's just as important not to let our guard down against more common respiratory infections such as the cold or flu.
The truth is that you still catch this less fatal ailments regardless of the measures you take.
But if you're confused about the similarities and differences between Covid-19, the cold and flu, here's a quick guide:
Caused by different viruses
Covid-19, the cold and the flu are all caused by different viruses.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Covid-19 is a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which belongs to the family of coronaviruses.
On the other hand, the cold is most commonly caused by rhinoviruses, although many other types of viruses can also do so.
Finally, the flu is an infection caused by three main types of influenza viruses: type A, type B, and type C, Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) said.
Influenza A (H1N1-2009), Influenza A (H3N2) and Influenza B are influenza viruses "commonly circulating globally and in the community", whilst Influenza C is "associated with mild sporadic illness and occurs less frequently".
Symptoms are similar yet different
The symptoms of Covid-19, the cold and the flu do share certain similarities, but also possess differences.
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Dry cough
- Aches and pains
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Diarrhoea
- Coughing and sneezing
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Watery eyes
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Diarrhoea, especially in children
- Vomiting or nausea
- Chills and shivering
In general, symptoms of the common cold also tend to be less severe than Covid-19 or the flu.
Implications vary in severity
While colds generally pass within seven to 10 days after resting and drinking plenty of fluids, the flu can result in pneumonia, hospitalisation or even death, especially in people at higher risk of developing complications.
Those at higher risk of developing complications from the flu include:
- People aged 65 years or older
- Children below 5 years of age
- Adults and children who have chronic lung disorders
- Adults and children who require regular medical follow-ups
- Children and adolescents between 6 months to 18 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and therefore might be at risk of developing Reye’s syndrome, a swelling in the liver/brain, after influenza infection
- Pregnant women
- Residents of nursing homes, intermediate/long-term care facilities
On the other hand, one out of every six people who gets infected with Covid-19 becomes very ill and develops breathing difficulties.
Elderly folk and people with existing medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes are also more likely to come down with a serious illness.
Although 80 per cent of Covid-19 patients eventually recover without requiring special treatment, around 2 per cent have passed away.
Treatments differ
There is no cure for the cold except for resting and drinking plenty of fluids.
This is unlike the flu, which can treated with antiviral medications such as:
- Adamantanes (e.g. amantadine and remantadine)
- Neuraminidase inhibitors (e.g. oseltamivir and zanamivir)
These antiviral medications can help reduce the severity of symptoms, promote recovery and are most effective within the first two days of illness, MOH stated.
As of now, there are no specific antiviral medications to treat Covid-19, WHO stated.
However, affected patients should still receive care to relieve symptoms.
Patients with serious illness should also be hospitalised.
Prevention methods are similar
So far, the prevention methods for Covid-19, the flu and the cold are pretty similar:
- Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water, especially before touching your eyes, nose or mouth
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
- Avoid crowded places and stay home from work/school if you are ill
However, the best way to protect against the flu is still by undergoing seasonal influenza vaccination, especially if you are at a greater risk of developing complications, MOH stated.
People living and caring for high-risk individuals should also receive vaccination against the flu.
To prevent getting Covid-19, WHO has also mentioned that people should maintain a distance of at least one metre from people who are coughing or sneezing.
Lastly, people who want to guard against the flu should also use a serving spoon when sharing food at meal times.
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