Know the Difference between Coronavirus and Flu

Corona Virus SARS-Cov-2 is a new type of virus that emerged in 2019, and since then, it has brought the whole world to a halt. COVID -19 is somewhat similar to seasonal influenza, but there are numerous differences between the two. Let us dig deeper to know the difference between flu and COVID-19.

1. Incubation Period: It is the period between the primary infection and the beginning of symptoms. The incubation period of Covid-19 is between 2 to 14 days, whereas, for the flu, it is between 1 to 4 days.
2. Symptoms: The symptoms of both diseases help us to differentiate between them. The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fatigue, cough, fever, and shortness of breath. People may also experience sore throat, runny nose, headaches, and body aches. On the other hand, people suffering from flu show symptoms like cough, fatigue, headache, nausea, chills, fever, and diarrhea.
3. The onset of symptoms: The symptoms of coronavirus are initially mild and then turn severe, whereas the symptoms of flu are sudden.
4. Severity: Scientists are researching coronavirus every day, but still, several aspects of it are unknown. According to estimation, 20 percent of the cases of coronavirus are critical. The symptoms of some people suffering from the disease start worsening after 8 days. On the other hand, typical flu lasts for 3 to 7 days. Very few cases linger on to 2 weeks or longer. Only 1 percent of the total cases are hospitalized due to the flu.
5. Treatment: There is a vaccine available for seasonal flu. The most effective way to protect yourself from the flu is to get a seasonal flu vaccine. Antiviral medications are also available for flu, but there is no licensed medication or vaccine available for coronavirus. Researchers are still working hard to find a cure for it.

The first and foremost way to fight coronavirus is testing. Testing is the only way to stop the virus from spreading. Corona Selftest kits give accurate results in very little time. They are easy to use and can be used in laboratories, homes, and hospitals.