During the winter months, we find ourselves dealing, more, with the common cold & the Flu, but with COVID-19, cold & flu symptoms bring additional concerns.
It can be hard to tell which you are suffering from, with all three sharing similar symptoms, and that can add stress to an already stressful situation. No one likes to be sick, but today you have to wonder just how sick you’re going to get, when the sniffles start.
First, it’s important to identify the illness. Both the Flu and COVID-19 will leave you fatigued, with a fever, a cough with headache and body aches. Both are transmitted similarly. Covid symptoms can take longer to surface than those of the Flu, but in order to know that, you’d have to know exactly when you were infected. One very different symptom that COVID-19 has, and other illness do not, is loss of taste and smell. Although, if you have the flu with congestion, you may also feel as though you have lost your sense of taste and smell. You may use a netipot to clear your nasal passages, in this instance, and your sense of taste and smell will return if it’s just a cold or the Flu.
The only real way to know is to get tested. Your doctor can administer a test for the Flu, and many pharmacies are offering testing for Covid-19. You may also find COVID-19 testing in many health centers, or you can buy a COVID-19 testing kit and test yourself, at home.
One way to avoid getting infected, by any of the three, is to always wash your hands with soap and water. Wash your hands for a full 30 seconds and, after you dry your hands, use a good hans sanitizer. Wear your mask when you are out, and be mindful of the surfaces that you touch. Take your daily multivitamins and make sure that you are getting enough vitamin C.
No matter which of the three you may have, stay hydrated and make sure to rest so your body can do it’s part to help defend you against your illness.
