Common cold, flu and COVID-19 affect the respiratory system, so its symptoms are similar , making it difficult to distinguish between the diseases. All are caused by viruses , although the viruses that cause it, the age groups most affected, the consequences and possible complications are different between diseases. The good news is that the main protective measures that we have become accustomed to over the past few months due to COVID-19 also help to prevent common cold and flu because all these diseases are transmitted in the same way. So, protect yourself with: Frequent hand hygiene: wash your hands with soap and water or disinfect with alcohol gel; Respiratory etiquette: when coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or do it for your arm and not your hands or the environment; Do not touch the eyes, nose and mouth without cleaning your hands first, because those are the places for the virus to enter our body; Maintain physical distance from other people; Use of a face mask according to the recommendations of the Direção Geral da Saúde. Know the diseases and keep an eye on the symptoms COVID-19 Common cold Flu Mild to moderate symptoms Gradual onset of symptoms Abrupt onset of symptoms Fever: Common Fever: Rare Fever: Common Fatigue: Sometimes Fatigue: Sometimes Fatigue: Common Cough: Common, usually dry cough Cough: Mild Cough: Common, usually dry cough Sneezing: No Sneezing: Common Sneezing: No Body aches: Sometimes Body aches: Common Body aches: Sometimes Nose clogged / with secretions: Rare Nose clogged / with secretions: Common Nose clogged / with secretions: Sometimes Sore throat: Sometimes Sore throat: Common Sore throat: Sometimes Diarrhea: Rare Diarrhea: No Diarrhea: Sometimes (crianças) Headache: Sometimes Headache: Rare Headache: Common Shortness of breath: Sometimes Shortness of breath: No Shortness of breath: No Loss of smell and taste: Frequent, due to changes in the smell and taste nerves, it usually takes time to improve Loss of smell and taste: Sometimes, due to nose obstruction and trasient Loss of smell and taste: Sometimes, due to nose obstruction and trasient dapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Organização Mundial de Saúde Other characteristics of the diseases Cold and flu are more common in cold weather, but they can happen in any season. For covid-19, no seasonality pattern is known. Any of these illnesses can be contagious even before there are symptoms. As a rule, if someone is infected with one of these viruses, he can infect others in the 2 days prior to initiating complaints. The contagious period can extend from 7 days (flu) to 10 days (COVID-19). COVID-19 is more severe in older people and those with chronic diseases; children and young people are often asymptomatic. Treatment In most cases, these diseases are treated only with medications to relieve symptoms . The antivirals available to treat flu have a low efficacy and are only administered to patients with severe cases of flu, that require hospitalization. For COVID-19, there is currently no approved antivirals. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses . They are only used when any of these diseases is complicated by a bacterial infection, which is more common in flu than in the common cold. There are no vaccines against common cold, there are vaccines against seasonal flu, the development of a vaccine against COVID-19 is awaited. In case of worsening symptoms and doubts about the disease: Follow the health authorities instructions regarding COVID-19; Contact LUZ 24, the adult and children clinical triage service at Hospital da Luz, at 217 104 424 . Author : Nuno Cortesão References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Organização Mundial de Saúde UpToDate The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
