Q: How does the flu differ from COVID-19?
A: Both the flu (influenza) and COVID-19 are highly contagious respiratory viral infections that will continue to spread this winter. They have similar symptoms, so it can be difficult to tell them apart.
Fortunately, we have a vaccine to help prevent the flu. Make sure your child gets a flu shot as early as possible this winter. This is more important than ever this flu season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both flu and COVID-19 may cause no symptoms (asymptomatic) or result in mild to severe symptoms. Flu symptoms show up about 1 to 4 days after being exposed to a sick person, with most people becoming ill within two days. COVID-19 symptoms can appear about 2 to 14 days after being exposed to a sick person, but most people show symptoms in the first five days after the exposure.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shared symptoms may include:
– Fever/chills
– Cough
– Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
– Extreme tiredness
– Muscle or body aches
– Headache
– Stuffy, runny nose
– Vomiting and diarrhea
With COVID-19, symptoms are more likely to include loss of taste or smell.
Complications after the initial infection may occur with both Flu and COVID-19, particularly secondary infections such as pneumonia, cardiovascular injury, and respiratory failure.
Children can get seriously ill from the flu, especially if they did not get a flu shot. During last year's flu season, 188 children under 19 died of complications from influenza, according to the CDC. Typically, about 80% of children who die from flu are not vaccinated, and 50% of children who are hospitalized with complications from influenza are otherwise previously healthy.
That's why children 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine before the start of the flu season each year. While little influenza activity has been reported to date in the U.S., the usual peak of influenza seasons tends to occur in February.
The flu shot can be given to children who are otherwise healthy and also children with underlying medical conditions.
Children with certain medical conditions (heart or lung disease, obesity, diabetes, or sickle cell disease for example) can be at risk of more severe illness from both COVID-19 or flu.
The best place to get a flu shot is your pediatrician's office. During the visit, your child can get other vaccinations, if needed. Your child also can catch up on any routine care that you may have had to delay because of the pandemic.
This flu season, you can choose between a flu shot and a nasal spray vaccine. Both protect against the four strains of the influenza virus (two A strains and two B strains) that are expected to cause most flu cases this season. Your pediatrician can help you decide which is best for your child.
Vaccines for COVID-19 prevention may be available for some adolescents with underlying medical conditions as per emergency use authorization guidance, while at this time COVID-19 vaccines remain investigational for younger children.
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ABOUT THE WRITERS
Dr. Flor M. Munoz is associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Jennifer Shu is a pediatrician, the medical director for HealthyChildren.org., and a member of the AAP. For more information, go to HealthyChildren.org, the website for parents from the AAP.
