Although Covid restrictions have been lifted in the UK, people are still living with the virus.
As soon as someone coughs or sneezes, most people can't stop themselves from thinking – is it Covid? But if you think back to the 'old days', the common cold, flu and assorted viruses always spread during the winter months, and people generally weren't worried about which virus it was.
With that said, it's understandable that people are still concerned about spreading Covid - especially among vulnerable people.
Unfortunately, Covid tests are no longer free for most people in the UK, so it's not as easy to find out if you have the virus or just a common cold.
If you don't want to pay for a PCR test, there are ways of telling if you have a cold, flu or Covid.
Vicky Godfrey, Registered Nutritional Therapist and co-founder of DNApal, has shared some of the differences that can help you distinguish the symptoms.
How to tell the difference between a cold, flu and Covid
According to a recent study, a flu will generally start with a cough, while the initial symptom of Covid is most likely to be a fever.
Vicky told The Mirror: "People usually recover from the flu in seven to 10 days, while it can take at least 10 days to recover from the coronavirus, and in severe cases even several weeks or months of gradual recovery.
"Loss of taste or smell is commonly reported in people with Covid-19. A recent review of studies found that loss of taste or smell was reported in 47% of people."
Vicky also shared the symptoms, and the differences between them, which you can find below.
- Headache
Headaches are rare with a cold, but are sometimes prevalent in patients with Covid-19, and often in those with flu. It is also sometimes caused by allergies.
- Stuffy or runny nose, sneezing or sore throat
One or more of these are sometimes present with the flu, but they're all rare for the coronavirus and more common with allergies like hay fever.
- Fever
Coronavirus and flu both cause fever, but so can the common cold.
Covid patients usually have a fever of 37.7 degrees celcius or higher, while flu sufferers often experience fever of 37.7 degrees to 38.8 degrees that lasts three to four days.
- Body aches and pains
The flu virus often causes body aches that are severe. Aches are sometimes present with Covid, but not always.
- Extreme exhaustion
Patients with Covid sometimes experience this intense form of fatigue, but it typically progresses slowly.
Flu, on the other hand, often causes severe exhaustion as an early symptom.
- Fatigue and weakness
Very similar to body aches, fatigue and weakness are more common and usually more severe with the flu than with Covid.
- Cough
A cough is more coommon to both flu and coronavirus but rarer with allergies or hay fever.
- Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is a serious symptom which occurs in severe cases of coronavirus, but rarely with the flu.
Seek immediate medical attention immediately if you experience this symptom.
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is sometimes caused by both Covid and the flu.
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