COVID-19 Common Symptoms: Beware Of These 10 Signs As Common Flu

It is essential to understand that the flu and COVID-19 can have common symptoms, and we should be aware of them because it may not be the flu, but it may be COVID. So starting with this, Director & HOD, Pulmonology, Dr Vikas Maurya, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, explains ten common symptoms:

One of the most common symptoms is fever: Both in flu and COVID, you see fever and high-grade fever. The only thing is that sometimes COVID fever only goes in four days. In five days, you can have a fever or prolonged fever in COVID, whereas in the flu virus, the fever gets settled in two to three days. So yes, fever is one of the common symptoms seen in both, and we should be aware of that.
The second thing is cough: Again, we can see cough in both COVID-19 and the flu, which may occur on a second or third day, whereas in COVID-19, it is usually seen after a few days. But yes, we should be aware of the second symptom as well.
Then sore throat: Sore throat is very common in both flu and COVID. However, the pain experienced in COVID is exceptionally high compared to the flu.
Then fatigue in both of these: we all feel exhausted, but it may be more in COVID-19 compared to flu if we compare with intensity. But yes, we can see fatigue in both of the diseases.
Then headache is again one of the common symptoms we can see In COVID-19: Furthermore, you can have a severe headache that doesn’t go in a few days, whereas if you have a headache with flu, it usually settles down in one to two or maybe two to three days.

Then runny nose can be seen in both: But it is more common in the flu than in COVID-19, and the intensity also seems much more in the flu than in COVID-19.
The body ache caused by COVID-19 again is very severe and intense compared to the flu: But yes, in the flu, also, the body ache is there. However, in COVID-19, the body ache goes on for many days, whereas in flu, it settles down in one to two or two to three days.
Then diarrhoea or vomiting can be seen in both flu and COVID: However, the intensity is much more in the case of COVID but more common in the case of flu when we have diarrhoea and vomiting. So you have more chances of flu presenting with diarrhoea and vomiting than COVID. But yes, both diseases can have diarrhoea and vomiting.
Then we talk of shortness of breath: Shortness of breath is also common in both. But in COVID-19, if you’re having shortness of breath, this is considered a very severe symptom. We must immediately show it to the doctor and get admitted because you may have lung involvement. In the flu, again, you can have shortness of breath, but not many patients are present. And also, the shortness of breath may be less severe than COVID. But yes, shortness of breath can be seen in COVID and flu.
The loss of smell can be seen in both: But it is more common in COVID-19 than the flu: So, in the flu, we may sometimes see a smell loss because of a stuffy nose, but it is more common in COVID-19.