verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

How Do the Symptoms of COVID-19 Differ from Those of Cold and Flu?

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

October marks the start of cold and flu season in the Northern Hemisphere, where, in 2020, many countries also have been heavily affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). But cold, flu, and COVID-19 are all contagious respiratory diseases, so how can those who become ill tell if what they have is just a cold or something more serious?

Influenza, the common cold, and COVID-19 can produce very similar symptoms, including runny nose and cough. The common cold, however, tends to be mild in most individuals, rarely causing fever and aches. Flu and COVID-19, on the other hand, can cause more extensive symptoms, including fever, body aches, shortness of breath, headache, and, especially in children, diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases, flu and COVID-19 can result in pneumonia and death.

There are some key differences, however. For example, flu symptoms often develop soon after infection (one to four days), whereas symptoms of COVID-19 may take anywhere from two days to two weeks to emerge. Some people with COVID-19 also experience unusual changes in taste. COVID-19 may result in long-lasting respiratory and neurological symptoms and complications.

The surest way to know whether a respiratory infection is a cold, the flu, or COVID-19 is through testing. Because the common cold, influenza, and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses, testing can confirm the actual cause.