is it a cold, covid, or the flu?

as canada braces for a second wave of covid-19 infections, cold and flu season adds an extra complication. if you’re feeling under the weather, how do you know if it’s the coronavirus, influenza, or just a pesky autumn cold?first off, it’s always a good idea to reach out to your doctor or local health service if you have concerns. health canada also has a self-assessment tool to help you distinguish between the symptoms of a cold or flu versus the dreaded coronavirus.here’s how you can spot the differences.

the seasons

coronavirus can strike any time of the year. at the very start of pandemic, some officials expressed a hope that infections might slow down amid hotter weather. however, it’s clear that covid-19 doesn’t disappear in sunshine and heat given the spikes in infections seen in southern and western states of the united states in july.despite its name, you can get the seasonal flu at any time of the year according to the centers for disease control. flu season, when cases peak, generally starts in the fall, peaks in winter, and continues into april or even may in the northern hemisphere. scientific american points out that the “usual pattern” starts with children coming down with the flu first, then adults. however, it’s worth noting that there are no hard and fast timeframes. infection prevention and control canada says the 2019-2020 flu season in canada started on august 25, 2019. and in case you are curious about canada’s current flu infection numbers, the government tracks cases.and then there’s the cold. the cdc notes that while many different viruses can lead to the common cold, rhinoviruses are the most common. as anyone who has suffered through a cold amid a heatwave can attest, you can catch a cold at any time of the year. however, a study published in the journal of infectious diseases says infections tend to peak in early fall, “usually september to november, and again in the spring from march to may.”feel free to read more about the individual symptoms and complications of the common cold, influenza and the coronavirus.

cold versus flu

it’s easy to confuse the two, though the flu typically comes with more severe symptoms. health canada has a handy comparison guide. generally speaking, cold symptoms tend to build up slowly while symptoms for the flu can appear more quickly.

what do the cold and flu have in common?

if you’re suffering from a cold or the flu, you might experience cough, chest discomfort, aches and pains, headache, tiredness, a sore throat, and a stuffy, or runny nose. the difference lies in the intensity of the symptoms. health canada notes that while a cold may make you feel tired, you might be entirely bedridden with the flu. headache, body pains and cough may also be much more severe with flu, compared to the common cold. health canada also indicates that while it’s common to feel chills when you have a cold, a fever is rare. fever appears to be a more likely symptom of the flu.

is it the flu? a cold? or, oh no, covid-19?

this is tricky. scientists are still learning a lot about the coronavirus. some people are asymptomatic, meaning they are infected with the virus, but don’t actually show symptoms. there’s also a fairly wide range of severity. one of the earlier, high-profile cases of covid-19 involved the celebrity couple tom hanks and rita wilson. the actors came down with the coronavirus in march, but hanks revealed he was fatigued and had body aches, while his wife suffered a much higher fever and lost her sense of smell and taste. experts have cautioned that, though there are some similarities in symptoms, influenza and covid-19 should not be flippantly compared to each other.influenza and the coronavirus are both respiratory illnesses, meaning there’s some overlap when it comes to symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and vomiting and diarrhea (though gastronintestinal issues are more common among children with the flu).one of the major differences between the flu and covid-19 it the change in or loss of taste or smell as being more common in covid-19 cases. fever can occur in both covid-19 and the flu, but is less likely with the common cold. however, it is possible to have the virus and not experience a fever.alberta health services has highlighted some of the differences as well, noting that sneezing appears to be more common with colds rather than the flu or covid-19. some parts of the country are zeroing in on the nose, in particular. british columbia recently removed sore throat, and runny nose among the symptoms listed on student health checklists.it’s important to stay vigilant. contact your local health authority for more information and keep washing your hands, maintain social distancing and wear a mask when you can’t keep your distance or indoors in places such as the grocery store.canada also has a free app to help track whether you may have been exposed to someone with the coronavirus.don’t miss the latest on covid-19, reopening and life. subscribe to healthing’s newsletter coming out of covid for daily updates on the top 世界杯决赛2022 and the healthing weekender delivered to your inbox on saturday.