Influenza is prevalent in autumn and winter. How to distinguish between COVID-19, the common cold and influenza?

On November 5, at the press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, Wang Guiqiang, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Peking University First Hospital, introduced that new coronavirus infection, colds and influenza are all respiratory viral diseases, but they still have many differences, both commonalities and differences.

First, from the perspective of pathogens , the common cold is caused by some viruses that colonize, such as rhinovirus; influenza is caused by influenza virus; and COVID-19 is caused by the new coronavirus.

Second, from the perspective of infectiousness . Colds are not contagious. When the immune system is weakened, some viruses that colonize the upper respiratory tract replicate and cause symptoms. Both influenza and COVID-19 are contagious, and COVID-19 is significantly more contagious than influenza.

Third, from the perspective of infection site , the common cold usually affects the upper respiratory tract and generally does not cause pneumonia. Most influenza also affects the upper respiratory tract. In very rare cases, the elderly with underlying diseases may affect the lungs. However, COVID-19 can cause pneumonia, and COVID-19 infection can induce a series of underlying diseases to worsen. This is a very important feature of COVID-19, so we cannot ignore it.

Fourth, from the perspective of the season of occurrence . Colds are not seasonal and can occur all year round, because the decline in resistance can cause local virus reproduction and lead to symptoms. Influenza is mainly in autumn and winter, and the new coronavirus can occur all year round, but autumn and winter will be the peak season because there are more indoor activities and the air is not circulating. In addition, from the clinical manifestations, colds are relatively mild, generally with some symptoms of the upper respiratory tract, runny nose, nasal congestion, and some low fever, but rarely high fever. Influenza often has systemic symptoms, such as headache, fever, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, etc. After infection with the new coronavirus, fever, muscle and joint pain, cough, decreased sense of smell and taste, etc. may occur, and it may also induce the aggravation of underlying diseases, especially in the elderly.

Fifth, in terms of treatment , the common cold is self-limiting and does not require treatment. It usually gets better in 1 to 3 days. When the immune system is strong, it will pass. We often tell patients to drink plenty of water and rest. There is a specific medicine for influenza. Antiviral treatment can alleviate symptoms and reduce the occurrence of further complications. There are also antiviral drugs for COVID-19, so the treatment of COVID-19 should be more active, especially for the elderly with underlying diseases. Early intervention should be carried out to avoid worsening of the disease, including antiviral treatment, oxygen therapy, traditional Chinese medicine and other comprehensive treatments.

In short, under the COVID-19 pandemic, these three diseases have similarities, but also great differences. Therefore, we emphasize that once symptoms such as fever appear, you must go to the hospital for treatment to identify whether it is COVID-19 or influenza. If it is influenza, targeted treatment should be given. If it is COVID-19, it is not simply a matter of early intervention with antiviral treatment, but also isolation to avoid the risk of further transmission. At the same time, we must also closely monitor changes in the condition to prevent it from developing into a severe illness, including the risk of worsening underlying diseases.

Source: People's Daily Online