DETROIT (WXYZ) — I know respiratory infections are picking up as several of my patients have been sick. And, I can tell you, it’s not that easy to differentiate between the common cold, the flu, and COVID.
And, that’s because they share three symptoms – coughing, sore throat, and a runny nose. But, there are two symptoms that could indicate a person has more than just a cold.
And, that’s fever and fatigue. These symptoms are more likely to develop if you’re sick with the flu or COVID.
Early in the pandemic, the tell-tale sign you had COVID and not the flu was loss of taste and smell. Another indicator was shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
As we know with the coronavirus, it’s always evolving. Today’s symptoms overlap so much that you really need to test to know what you may be infected with.
With the flu, symptoms can last between one and four days. For the common cold, most people recover in a week or ten days. For COVID, symptoms generally last anywhere between two to 14 days. But, they can drag on much longer if you become a long-hauler.
As for getting tested early, yes it’s extremely important to do so. There’s no test for the common cold, but you can test for flu and COVID. That way if you test positive, you can isolate to prevent others from getting sick. You can also get treated early which can reduce the risk of getting very sick.
For the flu, the antiviral drug Tamiflu can be prescribed to people aged two weeks of age and older. For Tamiflu to be effective, the medication should be taken within 48 hours of symptom onset.
As for COVID, the antiviral drug Paxlovid can be prescribed to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19. It’s approved for people 12 and older. It helps keep high-risk patients out of the hospital. It too must be started early, within five days of symptom onset. There are other treatments as well, so it’s best to see your doctor if you’ve tested positive.
The best way to ward off the flu and COVID is by getting vaccinated. You can get both the new bivalent COVID booster shot and the flu shot at the same time. I highly recommend you get them before the end of October.
Driven to help others, Dr. Nandi, MD explores exceptional healing methods that have eluded scientific study. So this week on The Dr. Nandi Show, techniques will be explored where the “how” and “why” can’t be scientifically explained, but the results can’t be ignored. You’ll learn the power of your thoughts and their impact on your health, how to approach life when bad stuff happens, and all about the Embodiment Process. Plus, you’ll see two extraordinary young girls “read” while blindfolded by tapping into their other senses. Tune in this Sunday, October 16th at 1:30 AM (late night).
