The winter months are certainly not a welcoming time of year for sicknesses. Although flu cases are down due to COVID-19 health-safety precautions, it's important to continue doing our best to avoid a “twindemic,” consisting of a flu outbreak on top of the prevalence of COVID-19.
If you do happen to get sick this year, how are you supposed to know if it’s with the flu or COVID-19? Our team at AFC Urgent Care Willowbrook is here to help, so read on.
How Do I Know If I Have the Flu?
The flu and the coronavirus share similar symptoms, but they also share some key differences. Typically unlike COVID-19, flu symptoms come on suddenly, and they come on hard. A fever is a tell-tale sign of the flu, whereas a fever isn’t quite as consistent in COVID-19.
An additional defining factor of the flu is that the flu doesn’t usually cause as many serious illnesses as COVID-19. We’ve listed some more common symptoms of the flu below.
Common Flu Symptoms
- Joint and muscle achiness
- Pain and tiredness around the eyes
- Weakness or extreme fatigue
- Warm, flushed skin and red, watery eyes
- Frequent headaches
- Fever
How Do I Know If I Have COVID-19?
As we said earlier, COVID-19 symptoms and flu symptoms look a lot alike. While the flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses, they are caused by two different viruses. The flu is caused by an infection with influenza viruses, and COVID-19 is caused by an infection with a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.
Experts say that one of the most telling signs of COVID-19 is a new loss of taste or smell and difficulty breathing. If you experience these symptoms, including some of the ones we’ve listed below, it’s important to schedule a COVID-19 test.
More Symptoms of COVID-19
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever or chills
- Headaches
It’s scary out there right now, but AFC Urgent Care Willowbrook is here for you now and always! Visit us if you feel under the weather today.
