Hyderabad: As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve, comparisons have been drawn to influenza and cold. These are respiratory diseases, yet there are important differences between the three viruses and how they spread. This has important implications for public health measures that can be implemented to respond to each virus.
COVID-19, cold and the flu are respiratory illnesses that spread from person to person. While COVID-19 and flu share some similar symptoms. The symptoms of flu tend to occur faster and can have greater variation. But COVID-19 is more likely to lead to severe illness or death.
Treatments for COVID-19, flu, and the common cold:
Colds: Doctors recommend rest, fluids & over-the-counter (OTC) medications like ibuprofen (Advil) & acetaminophen (Tylenol). No vaccine is available for the common cold.
Flu: Early treatment with an antiviral drug like oseltamivir (Tamiflu), rest, fluids & acetaminophen and respiratory support can help if flu symptoms become severe. Vaccines are available to reduce symptoms or prevent the flu.
COVID-19: Medical professionals recommend rest, fluids, acetaminophen & respiratory support if COVID-19 symptoms become severe. Antiviral drug and vaccine research is very active but none are currently available.
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