The Flue or Covid
 

Hello Villages, knower of all things.

How can they (doctors) tell if you have the flue or have Covid 19?

They test for it.

My view,"knower of all things." You do not need to know anything to post here.
It is OPINION from people using pseudo names. My opinion. If, you are not feeling well stay away from others. There are blood tests that will tell you. Aside, symptoms are similar, both are covid viruses, either can kill you. Covid 19 is just getting more press coverage.

The flu is not a "covid" virus. It is an influenza virus. That's why it's called the flu. Even COVID-19 isn't a "covid" virus. It is a coronavirus. The term COVID-19 is derived from "coronavirus disease 2019." The illness people refer to as "a cold" is also a coronavirus. But no, the flu is NOT a corinavirus, of the 19 variety or otherwise.

Test.

From the sufferer's perspective, not much difference. I've had 'em both. The flu several times over the years, and COVID last year. Not much fun but in all honesty I've been sicker with the flu. Several times.

There are some significant differences. With the flu, it's not likely you'll lose your sense of smell or taste. That's not a common symptom of influenza. People who are VERY sick with influenza, still don't typically need to be intubated or ventilated, and their deaths, while unpleasant, are not typically caused by them drowning on their own mucus. With COVID, that is what kills you. The pneumonia that comes as an actual symptom of severe COVID infection.

If you are very sick with the flu, once you've recovered, you're recovered. Recovery might take awhile, depending on how sick you were, but it's over when it's over. Not always the case with COVID. Some people suffer permanent lung and/or heart damage from COVID-19. Some people lost their sense of taste and smell, and almost two years later now - still haven't gotten it back. Imagine eating something and not knowing that it's rotten or rancid, until you're puking your brains out an hour later. Not something I'd ever want to look forward to, having to scrutinize every morsel that goes into my mouth. Imagine not smelling smoke, if you're distracted in the house and the smoke hasn't triggered the alarm yet.

COVID-19 and the flu are similar - if you are NOT very sick from either. If you are very sick from either, they are very distinctly different from each other.

"A number of studies have linked influenza to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and scientists have theorized that the inflammatory response triggered by the flu can fuel the development of atherosclerosis, a contributor to heart and artery disease."
"Other research has suggested that this association persists past those initial seven days of infection: A 2004 NEJM study found that while the increased risks of heart attack and stroke were both highest in the first three days after diagnosis, the dangers only “gradually fell during the following weeks.” And in 2008, researchers reported in the European Heart Journal that the risk of stroke after a flu diagnosis remained elevated up to three months."
There are many other side effects attributed to the Flu, so to discount the seriousness of the illness, is not a very good argument. Covid is bad IF you become infected AND you have the serious symptoms. So is the Flu. Millions get infected with both and survive. That's not my opinion, just fact. My opinion is that more folks are infected with Covid and shrug it off easier than those infected with the FLU. Seems like even the slightest flu infection causes more misery than the slightest Covid infection. Just my opinion on the last.

"In fact, both the common cold and influenza can cause temporary anosmia. Scientists have also identified a loss of taste and smell among the symptoms associated with COVID-19. “Viruses can disrupt the nerves related to smell..."

I'm glad you are both agreeing with and confirming what I said - that the loss of smell/taste is not a COMMON symptom (meaning, that yes, it's a symptom - but not common - so yes, it can happen) of flu, and that yes, symptoms can last for awhile with flu but once you're recovered, you're recovered (the reference to increased risk of heart disease for up to 3 months after recovery from flu).

With COVID, my reference was not to increased risk of heart disease. It was permanent damage to the heart. Permanent damage is not risk of. It's actual damage.

Y'all seem to have trouble with some words, like "common" and "risk of" and "temporary" and "up to". Like, if I post something, you pretend I post in absolutes.

It's kinda weird. And kinda creepy.

And if you're going to go out of your way to actually quote a source, you might consider citing it so that everyone can check it for context.

I also think it is "creepy" when folks post as if they are experts and they were only stating their opinion. It makes it somewhat easier to separate the experts from those with opinions, when they mention that it is their opinion. Is it really "creepy" when someone comments on a person's post on the premise that we are having a discussion?
I usually reserve "creepy" for Halloween, and that is a distant week ago.

The diagnostic tests for both are specific but it is possible to have a small percentage of false positives/negatives with any diagnostic test.

Wait, there are experts posting on here?

It's not "common" with Covid, either... It is a symptom, but far more people DON'T get it that do. Just like with the flu...

And cite the source? You first...

So I've been told... Mostly by them... :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

It's a joke, folks! Yes, there are several on this board who are much more informed on certain medical issues than the average bear. They even know more than I DO! :shocked::shocked::shocked:

I can only speak from my own experiences. Having COVID was certainly no fun (the loss of smell and taste was annoying but not a big deal since I had no appetite anyway), and the fever was gone after three or four days. I have severe asthma and coronary artery disease but try to live as healthy a lifestyle as possible, take meds as prescribed, exercise regularly (wife says compulsively) and keep my weight down. The people I've known who were severely impacted by COVID didn't do those things. In all honesty I wasn't too worried. I've beaten worse things before.

Flu is another thing. I've come down with pneumonia from the flu three times in my life, twice leading to hospitalizations, and all AFTER having the flu shot. One time even after that quadruple-strength one you get once you reach 65. Decidedly NOT fun. Again, speaking strictly from my own experience, having COVID was a walk in the park compared to those times.