How Does COVID-19 and Influenza Compare With Each Other? Which One is More Dangerous?

With the COVID-19 virus showing no signs of slowing down and as the outbreak continues to evolve, a few comparisons have been drawn between Coronavirus and influenza. The comparison is happening primarily because both coronavirus and flu cause respiratory disorders and the way they spread are also very similar.

How Both the Viruses Spread?

The similarities between COVID-19 and flu viruses are striking as patients can either be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and even suffer serious health complications. Both the viruses are transmitted through contact and droplets. That’s why the health measures for avoiding any health issues are the same for both COVID-19 and influenza. You are required to practice good hand hygiene and observe health etiquette such as coughing into a disposable tissue and putting it away properly.

Speed Of Transmission

The key difference between the two viruses is the speed with which it is transmitted. In influenza, the time taken from the actual infection of the individual to the appearance of symptoms is shorter than the COVID-19 virus. While symptoms generally appear within three days in influenza, for COVID-19, the estimated time is five to six days. It apparently means that flu can spread faster than COVID-19. You can visit the nearest walk in clinic Alexandria, VA to get tested and check if you have influenza or are infected with the coronavirus.

In the case of influenza, if there is transmission in the initial three to five days of illness, it happens on a larger scale. That does not appear to be the case with COVID-19. The coronavirus can be shed even 24 to 48 hours before the onset of the symptoms. However, the reproductive numbers or the numbers that indicate the number of infections generated from one individual is high for the COVID-19 virus at 2 to 2.5 as compared to influenza. These estimates are context-specific and hence it would not be right to draw firm conclusions or make direct comparisons between the two viruses.

If you have any of the symptoms of flu or COVID-19, don’t panic or don’t pop in any medications for fever and body pain. It is important to get tested first at the nearest walk in clinic Alexandria, VA to check and confirm the presence of any virus. If the test is positive, you can consult the in-house medical professional to know what to do next.

Which Types of Patients Are More Susceptible

Another major difference in the way the infection spreads in flu and COVID-19 virus is that the latter infects more adults than children. Infection in individuals in the 0-19 age group is low. The risk of COVID-19 infection is more common in children, pregnant women, and elderly patients. Those with a chronic and underlying medical condition are at a higher risk of catching the COVID-19 virus than healthy individuals with no medical history.

A visit to your nearest walk in clinic Arlington VA that offers lab testing facilities including COVID-19 virus testing is your best bet to confirm if the symptoms you are experiencing are because of any major virus infection or merely a passing flu. It is important to get tested as soon as possible on noticing the symptoms so that the infection can be controlled quickly and prevented from developing into a serious condition.