Article originally published on November 30, 2020.
Article updated August 30, 2021.
Know the Difference: Cold vs. 流感和. 新型冠状病毒肺炎
You’ve suddenly started feeling under the weather, and now you’re worried – is it 新型冠状病毒肺炎 or something else? 普通感冒, the flu and 新型冠状病毒肺炎 are caused by different viruses, but since they are all respiratory illnesses, the symptoms can mirror one another. While it may be difficult to tell the difference between the three, there are some distinct symptoms of each that may give you a better idea of whether you need to get tested for 新型冠状病毒肺炎.
冷:
Colds tend to be milder than the flu and the most common symptoms are a runny or stuffy nose. You may also develop a cough or 喉咙痛 and may even become nauseous. 不像流感, a cold generally does not result in serious health problems, although you may develop bronchitis.
流感:
Flu symptoms are more intense than the common cold. You will likely have a fever or chills. You may also experience muscle pain, body aches, a headache and tiredness. The flu can come on quickly, with patients developing symptoms 1-4 days after infection. If you experience symptoms of pneumonia, contact your healthcare provider.
While we saw a decrease in flu cases in 2020 secondary to 新型冠状病毒肺炎 prevention measures, influenza is still a threat to the health of our community. Learn more about flu tracking and reporting here.
Get your flu vaccine to reduce your risk of severe illness.根据疾控中心, it is safe to receive both the 新型冠状病毒肺炎 vaccine and flu vaccine in the same visit, and it is no longer necessary to wait 14 days between vaccinations. Learn more about this updated guidance here.
新型冠状病毒肺炎:
The symptoms of 新型冠状病毒肺炎 closely mirror those of the flu and a cold, 与咳嗽, 喉咙痛, 流鼻涕, 交通拥堵, 高烧, a headache and tiredness being among the most common symptoms reported. Symptoms that are more unique to 新型冠状病毒肺炎 include sudden loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath and diarrhea. 新型冠状病毒肺炎 seems to spread more easily than the flu and causes more serious illnesses in some people. It can also take longer for people to show symptoms of 新型冠状病毒肺炎. 通常, a person develops symptoms 5 days after being infected, but they can appear as early as 2 days or as late as 14 days after infection. People with 新型冠状病毒肺炎 also can be contagious for longer.
Get your 新型冠状病毒肺炎 vaccine to reduce your risk of severe illness. Vaccination has proven effective in the prevention of serious illness, hospitalization and death. While it is possible to still become infected with 新型冠状病毒肺炎 after your vaccination, you will likely experience mild symptoms compared to those who are unvaccinated.
测试
The best way to know if you have 新型冠状病毒肺炎 or the flu is to get tested. If you have any concerning symptoms or feel unwell, contact your healthcare provider to determine if a test is warranted. Many patients with 新型冠状病毒肺炎 experience only mild illness and can recover at home.
Some patients who are exposed to the virus may not show symptoms up until 14 days after exposure. If you have been identified as a close contact, monitor yourself closely and act accordingly. Even if you think you don’t have 新型冠状病毒肺炎 or test negative at the time of your screening, it’s important to play it safe. 如果你生病了，就呆在家里.
Learn more about caring for yourself and managing symptoms at home. If you or a loved one begin experiencing the following symptoms, you need to seek medical attention right away:
- 呼吸困难
- 胸部疼痛
- 胸部疼痛/压力
- 无法醒来