Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, Hey brain Stuff, Lauren Vogelbaum. Here, there's significant potential for a twin deemic as flu season looms and the COVID nineteen pandemic continues. So this fall and winter, when you feel sniffles and a scratchy throat start to come on, it's going to be only natural for you to wonder what ails you, influenza or COVID nineteen, not to mention
what do you do about it? Both flu and COVID nineteen are spread from close contact with another person through coughing, sneezing, or talking. But the distinction is important because although both are highly contagious respiratory diseases that are potentially dangerous, they're handled differently. A positive COVID nineteen test requires a person to isolate at home for ten days after the test
was initially taken or the onset of symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with severe COVID nineteen cases or who are immunocompromised may have to isolate even longer, up to twenty days, depending on their doctor's advice. This is a significant difference from influenza, where people can go back out into the public once they've been fever free without the use of fever reducing medication
for just twenty four hours. This obviously affects when a person is cleared to return to normal daily activities, such as they are during this pandemic. The mortality rates for both diseases are very different too. For COVID nineteen it's three to four percent, while for seasonal influenza the rate is less than zero point one percent, according to the World Health Organization, which notes that of COVID nineteen cases are mild or asymptomatic. So what's the same and what's
different about COVID nineteen and flu symptoms. Well, there's a lot of overlap. Both the flu and COVID nineteen typically result in symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath, though it's more severe in COVID nineteen patients, fatigue, sort out, muscle aches, and headache. But here are a few COVID specific symptoms loss of smell or taste, diarrhea, and so called covid toe, which are purplish spots or rashes that
show up on the toes, heels, or fingers. Another differentiating factor between flu and COVID nineteen is how quickly and
severely the diseases hit a patient. Typically, flu symptoms develop one to four days after infection, for COVID nineteen, it's two to five days after infection, though symptoms can appear as late as two weeks later, and people with the flu tend to feel very sick very quickly after symptoms first appear, whereas people of COVID nineteen may have mild symptoms for a week or so before they suddenly get
much worse. People with the full on flu also tend to get better faster than those patients with serious COVID nineteen, although people with mild versions of both illnesses tend to recover at around the same rate. Here's what you should do when potential COVID IT ten or flu symptoms pop up. First, if you have a usual doctor, call them. They'll screen you over the phone for symptoms and might even have
a video conference to determine next steps. If they suspect it's COVID, they'll either be able to provide a test at their office or point you somewhere that's testing, and since they know a bit about your medical history, they'll be able to tailor their advice to you, taking into consideration whether you might be at greater risk from complications of getting sick. If you don't have a regular doctor, visit c DC dot gov slash coronavirus to find a
symptom checker and access advice like hotlines in your area. Next, if you have symptoms and are so advised by a doctor, get a COVID nineteen test. The only sticky thing here is that the results could take a while to come back, and while you wait for those results, you'll have to isolate at home. You are, a doctor or consulting healthcare provider may also advise you to go ahead and get a flu test. In the past, many people didn't bother with this because they could cover at home with little
to no intervention. However, a very low percentage of people can have both flu and COVID nineteen, leaving them extra vulnerable to complications and also to making others sick. Finally, and throughout this process, stay home. Treatment for mild cases is similar for both illnesses. Rest up, drink lots of fluids, and watch your symptoms. If they become more severe, call a healthcare provider. Immediately. They'll be able to recommend prescription
medication or other treatment if necessary. Anti viral drugs like tamiflu can help with influenza, and severe cases of COVID nineteen may require hospitalization and a variety of other treatments, but before you get sick, you can get a flu shot to help prevent confusion. The flu vaccine gets a lot of flak for not being one effective, but it's still the best line of defense against this illness, and it significantly reduces the severity of the virus if you
still managed to come down with it. During a pandemic where mixed messages seem to abound, the health professionals are totally in sync that everyone who's able should get a flu vaccine. That's because a simultaneous wave of both influenza and COVID nineteen could be catastrophic to the health care system and to people's health and even lives. Today's episode was written by Leo Hoyt and produced by Tyler Clang.
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