Cold, Flu, or COVID-19: Which Do I Have?

You wake up feeling feverish, with a scratchy throat and a cough. Is it COVID-19? The flu? Or maybe just a common cold?

These respiratory illnesses have a lot in common:

• They’re all contagious.
• They’re all viral infections.
• They all cause many of the same symptoms. 

However, despite the similarities, a few specific differences distinguish them from one another.

At Injury and Health Urgent Care in San Antonio, Texas, our medical team, led by Melissa Kempf, MD, offers outstanding primary and urgent care services to patients of all ages. 

With winter in full swing, so are respiratory viruses. Here, the Injury and Health Urgent Care experts unpack what you need to know about these seemingly similar illnesses.

The similarities between a cold, the flu, and COVID-19

First, let’s look at the similarities these three illnesses have in common. 

To start, they are all spread by viruses in respiratory droplets. Simply put, you can catch a cold, flu, or COVID-19 by touching an infected surface or inhaling droplets from an infected person and then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth.

The second significant similarity these illnesses share involves symptoms. Once infected, a cold, the flu, and COVID-19 can cause:

• Sore throat
• Cough
• Runny nose or congestion
• Headache
• Muscle ache
• Fatigue
• Fever

Many of these symptoms are common with COVID-19 and the flu. You can also have the flu and COVID-19 simultaneously, making it even trickier to diagnose your condition on symptoms alone.

However, several of these symptoms are less likely to accompany a cold — especially muscle aches, fatigue, and fever. But the differences don’t stop there.

The differences between a cold, the flu, and COVID-19

The differences between these illnesses start with the fact that different viruses cause them. As a result, they affect the body in different ways.

Start of symptoms

One significant difference between these respiratory illnesses is when symptoms begin after exposure. In most cases, you start feeling sick when you have the flu within one to four days. Similarly, cold symptoms typically come within one to three days.

COVID-19 symptoms often develop within 2-14 days of exposure. COVID-19 can also cause more severe symptoms for many, including loss of taste and/or smell. 

Potential complications

Generally speaking, the common cold has few health risks — it just leaves you feeling poorly for 3-10 days. Although the flu comes with more risks than a cold, COVID-19 brings higher rates of more severe illness, including dangerous complications, such as blood clots and lung injury, which also means higher mortality rates.

Treatments and vaccines

If you’ve had a cold, you likely know you must let it run. Meanwhile, there are three antiviral drugs for the flu and one for COVID-19.

Similarly, there isn’t a vaccine against the common cold, but vaccines are available for the flu and COVID-19. Vaccination against these two illnesses is the most effective way to reduce your risk of getting sick or having severe symptoms.

When it could be something else

When you exhibit respiratory symptoms, you may automatically assume they’re from a cold, flu, or COVID-19. However, another pesky problem can trigger some of these symptoms — seasonal allergies.

Common signs of seasonal allergies include:

• Itchy eyes, nose, mouth, or inner ear
• Sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Loss of taste or smell
• Cough
• Fatigue

However, these responses develop from an allergen like tree or grass pollen. You won’t experience muscle aches, fever, or difficulty breathing unless you have asthma.

The best way to find out if you have a cold, the flu, COVID-19, or something else involves visiting the doctor. They can help you reach a diagnosis quickly and provide the care you need.

Are you feeling unwell? Schedule an appointment with Injury and Health Urgent Care by calling (210) 879-3521, or reaching out online today.