With the new wave of Covid-19, specifically the Ômicron variant around the world, it is common to be in doubt about symptoms such as fever, headache, malaise and runny nose, especially with this strain that has less severe and different symptoms. of the previous variants.
That’s because respiratory diseases, which also include cold and flu, usually show very similar signs, as they affect the same regions of the body. The difference is that some of them tend to appear more frequently or have greater intensity, depending on the disease. Check out in this Blog, which we at Kevenoll do Brasil have prepared for you, the differences in symptoms of each of these diseases.
Omicron variant:
The new variant usually causes symptoms with less intensity compared to the other strains that have spread so far. The Zoe Covid study has been constantly surveying the symptoms that patients diagnosed with the disease usually report. The work points to a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat as the main associated with Covid-19 caused by Ômicron.
These symptoms are usually mild, as Omicron reproduces faster in the airways and spares the lung. Symptoms improve, on average, five days after onset. Fever can also arise, but less often.
Cold:
It has milder symptoms than the flu, and looks much more like the signs given by the new variant of the Coronavirus, as it also affects the upper airways more. The main symptoms of a cold are: runny nose (runny nose with watery and transparent secretion), stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and low-grade fever (more common in children – adolescents and adults do not usually present). Signs usually last three to four days, but can last for up to ten days in smokers.
The flu:
Fever can be a differentiating symptom from the flu, where it is common. Faced with a fever, it is likely, therefore, that the patient has the flu, triggered by the influenza virus. But fever, by itself, does not guarantee the diagnosis of the disease.
According to the Butantan Institute (responsible for producing the flu vaccine used in our country) the main symptoms of flu are: sudden fever, dry cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, malaise, sore throat and runny nose. . The signs of the flu usually last five to seven days, and the cough can take two weeks or more to disappear.
Disease prevention:
The use of masks, recurrent hand hygiene, use of gloves and social distance are measures to prevent both Omicron and the flu, as well as the cold. However, in case of confirmation of Covid-19, experts recommend the use of masks such as PFF2 or N95, as they guarantee greater protection.
In addition, vaccination remains the most effective method of protection, because although it does not prevent contamination and contagion, it reduces the severity of symptoms. Today, there are vaccines against Covid-19 and the flu.
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