Similarities, differences in influenza, COVID-19

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an article by local Centers for Disease Control Sentinel Physician Dr. Robert P. Blereau of Morgan City.
Influenza and coronavirus (Covid-19) infections are similar but can be dissimilar.
During the last flu season in the U.S., 60,000 died from the flu. So far in 2020 more than 175,000 have died from Covid-19.
Thus far children appear to have much fewer deaths and severe illnesses from Covid-19 infections compared to the flu virus.
Both of these viral infections have high mortalities in those over 65 years especially with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, heart, lung and kidney disease, marked obesity and others.
Since no one knows when the flu will appear in our area, now is the time to get the flu shot.
It takes two weeks to develop protection once vaccinated. Children between 6 months and 8 years need two doses of this vaccine 28 or more days apart the first year only.
The Covid-19 vaccine is still several months off and it may be one or two shots.
In the future, flu and Covid-19 vaccines may be combined into one shot.
It is still not known if having had Covid-19 infection will protect one in the future or for how long. It is also still unknown if the Covid-19 virus will mutate or change, thus requiring a different vaccine from the original.
Both flu and Covid-19 are respiratory viruses. Symptoms are similar for both, mainly cough, difficulty breathing and fever.
Flu symptoms usually come on more quickly than Covid-19 which may develop over several days.
Other symptoms associated with Covid-19 and flu include muscle aches, headache, chills, runny nose, malaise, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat and skin conditions.
Loss of smell and taste are early signs associated with Covid-19, believed related to the virus residing in the nose and is usually associated with a milder course of illness.
As expected, findings of pneumonia on chest X-rays are more common with Covid-19 and is associated with a more difficult clinical course.
Some may have both diseases at the same time, making the flu shot more important than ever to try to prevent more serious illness or death.
Flu vaccination should be delayed for anyone with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 until their isolation period is over so as not to expose other people to Covid-19.
Even with mild or no symptoms, which is estimated in 30 to 40% of cases, Covid-19 can still be spread to others.