Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
Cold, flu, or something else
Health Facts…
By: Rehanna Ramsay
Kaieteur News – Fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, runny nose, and fatigue (tiredness) are all symptoms associated with a common cold or flu, but these symptoms can be indicative of something more grave, like COVID-19. So how do we tell the difference? The World Health Organisation (WHO) gives us some pointers on how to discern the difference between viral infections.
According to information available on the WHO website, symptoms of the common cold are a runny nose, sneezing, and watery eyes, while the flu is usually characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle ache, but also upper respiratory symptoms such as sneezing and coughing.
The WHO noted nonetheless that while COVID-19 presents some of the same symptoms, there are some other specific symptoms such as anosmia, which is a lack of smell, and ageusia, which is a lack of taste. And many people, especially young people, have experienced these additional and specific symptoms of COVID-19.
Now what is interesting is the fact these viruses have different strains sometimes people have very few symptoms, whether it’s for flu or for COVID-19. It really depends on your level of immunity. The variants or strains of viruses happen when there is a change or mutation to the virus’s genes. It’s normal and expected for RNA viruses like the coronavirus to evolve and change over time.
There are numerous influenza variants while for COVID-19, there are four main variants Beta: The COVID-19 variant that was first detected in South Africa; Gamma: The COVID-19 variant that was first detected in Brazil; Delta: The COVID-19 variant that was first detected in India and Omicron: The COVID-19 variant that was first detected in South Africa (possibly first in Western Europe).
An important point to note when dealing with these viruses is that prevention measures work; especially washing your hands. This is very important. Also important, is the ventilation of rooms when you are in crowded rooms, with a lot of people. It is recommended that you open windows to allow airflow.
Also, wearing masks can help, if you cannot open the window or maintain physical distancing.
For all serious viruses, vaccination is recommended. For Flu/COVID, the vaccine is a part of preventative care. There are also common medications and vitamins that can you boost your immune system making you less susceptible to colds and flu.
A daily dose of Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and other immune-boosting supplements form part of the crucial measures to treat these viruses. A point to note is that antibiotics are not recommended when treating viruses such as cold, flu, or COVID-19.
And while many people are likely to easily detect the seriousness of their condition whether they are fighting a common cold or flu by just the symptoms, it is always foolproof to get a professional opinion. Visit your doctor, get screened, and know for sure!!!
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