COVID vs. Flu Symptoms and Treatment

Since the pandemic hit, any upper respiratory symptoms you experience might seem like red flags for COVID. But the flu shares many similarities in how the symptoms feel when the virus attacks. So, how can you tell if you’re experiencing COVID vs. flu symptoms?

Knowing which illness you have will help you take care of yourself better and recover faster. Here’s what you need to know to decode your symptoms and distinguish between COVID vs. flu symptoms.

Overview of COVID-19 Symptoms

The COVID-19 virus is well-known for its broad range of symptoms and their severity. These infections can feel different for each person, but there are some common symptoms to look out for.

Respiratory Symptoms

COVID affects your upper respiratory system. When the virus first started circulating in the United States, many people thought it only affected the lungs and throat.

Important respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• Chest pain
• Congestion
• Difficulty breathing
• Dry cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat

Mild cases of COVID can feel a lot like the common cold. You may experience some coughing and congestion without any shortness of breath or wheezing.

In immunocompromised populations, COVID-19 respiratory symptoms can become dangerous quickly. Shortness of breath can lead to low blood oxygen levels, which is a serious risk to your health.

Systemic Symptoms

Your entire body is affected by a COVID-19 infection. Along with respiratory symptoms, you may experience systemic symptoms, which impact your energy levels and daily functioning.

Watch for these systemic symptoms of COVID:

• Body aches
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle pain

These symptoms are common in other viral illnesses like the flu and common colds. To distinguish between COVID vs. flu symptoms, it’s important to look at all of your symptoms.

Systemic symptoms usually aren’t dangerous unless your fever gets too high. Any fever that goes above 104°F or lasts longer than two or three days is considered dangerous.

COVID-Specific Symptoms

If you experience symptoms that are unique to COVID-19 infections, chances are you don’t have the flu. Flu symptoms vs. COVID look and feel different, with COVID symptoms lasting longer and usually feeling more intense.

One of the biggest indicators of a COVID infection is the loss of taste or smell. This happens when the COVID-19 virus damages nerves involved in sensory perceptions. You may experience partial or total loss of these senses, and the loss can be temporary or last for months after the infection.

Your senses of taste and smell can change after getting the virus. You might notice rotten or foul tastes and smells from foods you previously enjoyed. This happens to about 36% of COVID patients.

There are a number of distinctions that indicate you may have COVID vs. flu symptoms:

• Changes in taste (dysgeusia)
• Loss of taste or smell

COVID symptoms can last for weeks or months after the infection. This is known as “long COVID,” and it can be disabling, even in healthy adults.

Overview of Flu Symptoms

The influenza virus causes the flu. Different flu strains circulate each year, but the symptoms are generally the same.

Respiratory Symptoms

Much like COVID infections, influenza infections affect your upper respiratory system. Severe flu cases can result in pneumonia and other lung complications.

Influenza can cause the following respiratory symptoms:

• Coughing
• Rapid breathing
• Runny nose or congestion
• Sneezing
• Sore throat

Healthy adults can overcome respiratory symptoms without much trouble. However, people who are vulnerable to flu complications can have difficulty breathing and may need to be hospitalized.

Systemic Symptoms

The flu causes whole-body symptoms, just like COVID-19. As your body temperature rises to fight off the influenza virus, you’ll likely feel drained and fatigued.

Systemic symptoms of the flu include:

• Chills
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Malaise (feeling under the weather)
• Muscle aches

When evaluating whole-body sensations alone, it’s difficult to distinguish between COVID vs. flu symptoms. Both cause fever, fatigue and achiness throughout your body.

Flu-Specific Symptoms

Flu symptoms are very similar to COVID, making it difficult to distinguish between COVID vs. flu symptoms. The most notable sign you have the flu and not COVID is the onset of symptoms. If you have the flu, you’ll start to feel it within 2-3 days. With COVID, you may be asymptomatic or symptoms will develop gradually.

In some cases of the flu, you may also experience vomiting or diarrhea. However, gastrointestinal symptoms most commonly affect children. If your child has these symptoms, give them plenty of fluids and electrolytes to keep them hydrated.

How to Differentiate Between COVID vs. Flu Symptoms

The symptoms of both viral illnesses are similar, but there are a few key differences. Your symptom and infection timeline can reveal which virus you’re struggling with. Some symptoms are unique to COVID-19 infections, meaning they aren’t present in influenza cases.

If you’re asking yourself, “Do I have COVID or the flu,” you should take a diagnostic test. The best way to get an accurate diagnosis is to wear a mask and visit a Centra Care urgent care near you for COVID or flu testing.

Timing and Progression of Symptoms

The time it takes to develop COVID vs. flu symptoms after exposure is crucial. The symptom progression timelines for the flu vs. COVID is very different.

When you contract the flu, your symptoms will start one to four days after you’re infected. You can unknowingly pass the flu virus to someone else up to one day before your symptoms start. You’re most contagious within the first three days of influenza infection.

COVID-19 has a much longer timeline attached to it. You can develop symptoms anywhere from 2 to 14 days after you’ve been infected.

During this potential two-week period without symptoms, you can pass the virus to other people. Studies have shown that you can even pass COVID-19 to others up to three days before your symptoms start. You’re most infectious within the first eight days of having COVID.

Overall, COVID-19 infections take longer to develop and progress than influenza infections do. This is what makes COVID such a contagious illness, especially when you’re asymptomatic.

COVID vs. Flu Prevention

You can prevent yourself and others around you from contracting and spreading highly contagious diseases by following the guidelines listed below. Remember, even if your immune system can handle an infection, you never know if others can so it’s always best to play it safe.

Here are preventive steps to take for both infections:

• Avoid touching your mouth and nose
• Get tested if you suspect you’re sick
• Get your COVID vaccination and booster
• Get your annual flu shot
• Mask around immunocompromised and elderly people
• Stay home if you have symptoms
• Wash your hands often
• Wear a mask in crowded areas

Both COVID-19 and the flu can have dangerous consequences for some people. Use these preventive strategies to keep yourself and those around you safe from both viruses.

1. Get Vaccinated

Hands down, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu is the best way to prevent catching the virus.

A. Get the COVID Shot and Booster

The best way to prevent COVID-19 health complications is to get vaccinated against it. Getting vaccinated doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the virus, but it can reduce the severity. COVID vaccination is associated with lower rates of hospitalization, long-term symptoms and death.

B. Get Your Annual Flu Shot

Flu vaccination is the number-one way to protect yourself from complications of the influenza virus. You need a new flu shot every year. The flu virus mutates (changes), and updated vaccine formulas protect you from the upcoming year’s predicted strains.

Flu season starts in October and runs through May. Most flu shots are available in the mid to late summer months. Try to get your flu shot between August and September each year to prepare your body in advance.

2. Wear a Mask

Masking could prevent COVID from traveling through the air via droplets from your mouth and nose. It’s still a good idea to mask in large crowds. Whether you have COVID vs. flu symptoms, if you feel unwell, wear a mask if you must be in public.

3. Social Distance

Staying at least six feet away from other people is a good way to prevent the spread of the flu or COVID-19. Maintain this distance around strangers and loved ones who have symptoms of any kind. Wear a mask and visit a Centra Care urgent care near you for testing and treatment.

4. Wash Your Hands

Frequent hand-washing can reduce your risk of getting infected with viruses and harmful bacteria. It also prevents you from spreading bacteria by touching high-contact surfaces. Regardless of whether you have COVID vs. flu symptoms, you should practice frequent hand-washing– especially in public areas.

5. Practice Good Respiratory Etiquette

When you cough or sneeze without wearing a mask, direct your mouth toward your inner elbow– not your hand. It’s good respiratory etiquette to cover your mouth and nose when expelling air, saliva or mucus. If you have to blow your nose, throw away the tissue and wash your hands immediately afterward.

Treatment Options for COVID-19

COVID can clear up on its own in healthy children and adults but there are treatment options available. If you’re at high risk for COVID complications, you may need medical treatment to support your body through the infection. Here’s what you can do if you get a severe COVID infection.

Keep in mind that COVID treatments must be started within 5-7 days after you first develop symptoms to be effective.

At-Home COVID Treatment

If you are in good health or are not part of a high-risk group, you’ll likely be able to recover on your own. Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. You may also use over-the-counter pain and fever reducers that contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help alleviate symptoms.

COVID Medications

Antiviral medications fight harmful viruses in your body. Immunocompromised and other high-risk groups may require antiviral medication to beat a COVID-19 infection.

The FDA has authorized or approved several antiviral medications used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick.

Hospitalization and Intensive Care

If you suffer from severe respiratory and systemic complications from COVID-19, you may need to be hospitalized. Intensive care can help restore normal breathing and blood oxygen levels. You may also receive antiviral drugs to help clear the infection faster.

Treatment Options for the Flu

If you’re a healthy adult with no complications, your flu symptoms should go away in about a week. Your body can usually fight off the flu on its own, but high-risk groups may need help to fight off the flu.

Visit a Centra Care Urgent Care for flu treatments that deliver fast relief.

Antiviral Medications

Antiviral medications like Tamiflu (oseltamivir) are extremely effective at helping the immune system clear the influenza virus and avoid long-term complications. High-risk groups like immunocompromised and older adults may need antivirals to ensure healthy flu recovery. Antivirals are usually reserved for moderate to severe flu cases.

Supportive Care

Supportive care refers to the basic treatments sick people need — rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain relief. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and electrolytes and getting lots of rest. Use over-the-counter fever and pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve symptoms.

Recovery Timelines for COVID-19 and Flu

The timeline of COVID vs. flu symptoms are indicative of the virus you have. COVID symptoms take longer to develop and go away faster than influenza in most cases. Flu recovery is more consistent in healthy populations, but COVID may linger for weeks.

COVID Recovery

COVID recovery takes at least 5 to 14 days. In more severe cases, symptoms can linger for weeks or months after the infection starts.

Most people are no longer contagious by day 14 of a COVID-19 infection. You can return to normal activities once you test negative. At-home tests are more prone to false negatives, so always take two tests or visit an urgent care center near you for COVID testing before returning to work or school.

Flu Recovery

The flu usually runs its course within seven days of infection. You can return to normal activities when your fever has been broken for at least 24 hours. Continue to wash your hands often and wear a mask around people who are at high risk of flu complications.

Visit a Centra Care Urgent Care for COVID vs. Flu Symptoms, Testing and Treatment

Knowing the differences between COVID vs. flu symptoms can save you – and those around you – trouble as you recover. Always seek medical advice if you’re unsure about what to do when you’re sick. Prevention is important for both viruses, and we’re here to help with that.

At Centra Care Urgent Care, we provide COVID and flu shots, testing, treatments and information when you need it most. When you need convenient, compassionate care, we’re always here. Make a reservation online today!