How do I know if I have the flu, a cold or Covid?
Now coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion, headache or fever come into play.. Public health has warned about increased circulation of viruses causing breathing problems in the past week.
In fact, the rate of acute respiratory infections diagnosed in primary health care facilities decreased from 511 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants to a higher level. rate 655 cases per hundred thousand in just one week – a figure not recorded since mid-February 2024.
For now, flu and covid They are detected sporadically among the population. The situation is different with respiratory syncytial virus. (SVR), which mainly affects infants and is the main cause of bronchiolitis, the epidemic wave of which has advanced by two to three weeks compared to other years.
However, experts warn that they are detected “often.” rhinovirus, adenovirus and enterovirusamong others. These are viruses that cause colds and begin to circulate widely throughout the population. There are more than 100 different types of rhinoviruses alone, which can cause acute upper respiratory tract infections, colds, as well as other processes such as pharyngitis, ear infections, etc.
DIFFERENTIATE
1. COLD
Symptoms include sneezing, a slight cough, a lot of mucus, a stuffy nose with runny mucus, an itchy throat and watery eyes. Mild to moderate fatigue. Fever is unusual or low.
2. FLU
It is usually characterized by the sudden onset of symptoms. It usually manifests itself as high fever, muscle pain and headache, severe fatigue, weakness and general malaise.
3. COVID
Symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, loss of smell or taste, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, or headache for no reason. There are also cases with few or mild symptoms.
ADVIСE
1. WASHING YOUR HANDS. Hands are the main means of transmitting infections. Therefore, it is very important to wash yourself frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing.
2. INDEPENDENT TREATMENT. Viruses have no cure, only symptoms. It is advisable to rest, rehydrate (since fever causes fluid loss), drink broths and natural juices, ventilate the house so that the room is not stuffy, do not smoke or drink alcohol or coffee (they increase dryness), avoid visitors and do not go to schools.
3. USE OF MASKS. Reduces the risk of infecting the person using it and infecting others. First of all, it is recommended for vulnerable people.
4. INTERPERSONAL DISTANCE. Maintaining a distance of more than one and a half meters minimizes the risk of transmission of infection.
5. VACCINATION Covid and flu in recommended cases. Reduces the likelihood of serious illness.