Flu vs. Coronavirus

I know the coronavirus has been all the talk lately, even in my past blog post we talked about it. It can be annoying to keep hearing about it, trust me I get it. It is good to know though what exactly it is and to know how it differentiates from the flu. So in this blog post we’re going to be discussing similarities and differences between the flu and coronavirus. 

What is the flu? 

The flu, first to come about in 1918,  is also called influenza and consists of having a fever and body aches. These aren’t the only symptoms, but also infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. It’s very contagious and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it can spread to others about six feet away and can spread through cough/sneeze droplets.

It’s possible that the flu can get passed for longer than seven days due to symptoms not being shown immediately, depending on the person/people. The flu overall normally lasts from one to two weeks and according to the World Health Organization, the flu kills 290,000 to 650,000 people per year. 

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus is the most recent, deadly, pandemic that started in China from what we know, on December 31st. Symptoms include tiredness, fever, coughing, and in severe cases shortness of breath. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people recover from the virus without needing any special treatment. One of six people who get the virus become extremely ill, but overall it’s curable. 

Similarities

Both viruses are easily transmittable and it’s best to stay where you are and not go out if you contract either of them. Besides being transmittable, both are deadly depending on prior health conditions and age range. Due to symptoms also being so similar between the two, it’s hard to know rather it’s one or the other if you are having some of the symptoms, so just try to stay as aware of your body as possible. If you think you may have any symptoms or coronavirus, check with your nearest doctor ASAP and try to stay isolated until further notice.

Differences 

The main huge obvious difference between the two viruses is that one has a vaccine (flu) whereas the other one (coronavirus) is so new there are no current vaccinations developed yet. That’s why many people are panicking because it’s the unknown and it’s like “what happens if I get this?!” Which is completely understandable because no one really knows much about this virus and how harmful it can be. Another potential difference, that’s not 100% proven yet, is the coronavirus being airborne. But like I said, that’s speculation and hasn’t been 100% proven.

Prevention Tips

It’s good to know ways to prevent any potential viruses and how to stay as healthy as possible, especially during this time. These tips come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when you get a chance or ever have questions about anything health related, their website is one of the best resources to answer any questions you may have. 

-Know how the virus spreads

-Clean hands often

-Avoid close contact

-Use face masks

-Cover your mouth/nose when sneezing or coughing

-Stay clean and disinfect

You can find more details regarding each of these things on the link above. To end this blog post though, I just want each of you to remember to care for your health and make sure if you don’t feel good you take preventative measures. Rather in school or not, we’re still a healthy university who is going to continue to work together now more than ever! Stay healthy everyone, we’ll get through this.