The UK Health Security Agency has issued comprehensive guidance to help people distinguish between Covid-19 and flu symptoms as peak respiratory illness season approaches. Both conditions share similar symptoms, making it challenging for people to determine which illness they may have contracted during the winter months.
UKHSA emphasises that simple preventive measures remain crucial. The agency recommends staying at home when symptomatic, wearing a mask if going out is necessary, and maintaining good hygiene practices including regular handwashing and catching coughs in tissues.
Flu symptoms and treatment
Flu symptoms develop rapidly, unlike colds which emerge gradually. Key indicators include sudden high temperature, aching body, dry cough, sore throat, headache, and exhaustion.
Additional flu symptoms may include difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, stomach pain, and nausea. The NHS advises taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce temperature and consuming plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
Covid-19 symptoms and variants
Current Covid-19 symptoms include fever, continuous cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, body aches, headache, sore throat, blocked nose, and potential loss of taste or smell. Some people experience throat-related symptoms including severe sore throat and raspy voice.
According to WalesOnline, new Covid variants have emerged with distinct characteristics. The Stratus variant is linked to hoarseness and fatigue, while the Nimbus variant causes severe throat pain and digestive symptoms.
Key differences and duration
Covid symptoms typically persist for up to two weeks compared to cold symptoms lasting seven to ten days, according to medical sources. Covid also spreads more easily through airborne particles in poorly ventilated spaces.
UKHSA states that while Covid-19 is generally less severe than during the pandemic's early years, it still causes serious illness, hospitalisations, and deaths, particularly among those with weakened immune systems and people aged 75 and over.
Vaccination and medical care
People aged 75 and above, care home residents, and immunocompromised individuals over six months qualify for Covid-19 vaccination. Both flu and Covid vaccinations are recommended as winter approaches.
For breathlessness, the NHS recommends breathing slowly through the nose and out through the mouth, leaning forward slightly with hands on knees or a stable surface for support.
Sources used: "mirror", "bristolpost.co.uk", "WalesOnline", "independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
