SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s understanding of the virus continues to evolve, the organization’s symptom list has grown to include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and fatigue. Symptoms of the novel coronavirus are now:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
FatigueMuscle or body aches
HeadacheNew loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
As anyone who has ever suffered through allergies, a common cold or a flu can tell you, some of those conditions share traits with COVID-19.
So how can you tell the difference whether you’re suffering from allergies or just getting sick with a cold — or carrying the virus that is part of a pandemic?
No. 1, according to the World Health Organization, symptoms of the virus do not normally match up exactly with those of a common cold.
Allergies vs COVID-19In regard to allergies, while they can cause a cough, they do not cause a fever or a sore throat.
And COVID-19 is not connected with the itchy eyes, itchy nose and sneezing typically associated with allergies.
“It’s very important that every single person on the planet knows what signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious diseases epidemiologist with the WHO. “The symptoms of COVID-19 are not sneezing and having a runny nose.”
Colds vs COVID-19Differentiating among a cold, allergies, influenza and COVID-19 is important for everyday people. It’s also vital for clinicians trying to manage the spread of the virus.
“The initial symptoms can be very similar with a fever, a cough and shortness of breath,” said Dr. Allison Suttle, Sanford Health chief medical officer, during a live Facebook question-and-answer session on March 15. “That’s where things start to differentiate. The difference with influenza is that we have a vaccine. We also have treatment — Tamiflu can be helpful, depending on the year.”
Flu vs COVID-19
“It can be hard to tell as a clinician, if you’re dealing with a patient with influenza or the coronavirus,” Dr. Suttle said. “Oftentimes we will rule out influenza — it’s a quick test we can do right away at the clinic.”
After crossing off influenza, the provider will ask questions to determine whether you need a COVID-19 test.
Effective June 29, COVID-19 screening questions for Sanford Health employees and patients have been updated to include symptoms of nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, headache, or fatigue. These updates align with recent changes made by the CDC.
Sanford Health also prioritizes testing for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 symptoms, older adults, and people of any age with underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
What should I do if I have symptoms?If you are experiencing fever or cough, or if you feel you might have COVID-19, do not go to work and do not travel. In some cases, immediate attention may be needed.
(SOURCE: Sanford Health)
