• Question: what is the difference between a common flu and the corona virus

    Asked by anon-250571 on 16 Mar 2020.
    • Photo: M S

      M S answered on 16 Mar 2020:

      So they’re 2 very different viruses. They each cause different symptoms. The common cold is linked to sneezing, runny nose, fever. While corona-virus causes muscle aches, coughing and fever

    • Photo: Kate Mitchell

      Kate Mitchell answered on 16 Mar 2020:

      Flu (influenza) and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are two different viruses, from different virus families. That means if you’ve had flu you won’t have any immunity to the new corona virus. Some of their symptoms are similar – high temperature, cough, but they are different diseases.

    • Photo: Ioana Grigoras

      Ioana Grigoras answered on 17 Mar 2020:

      They are different types of viruses from different families. Coronavirus causes a fever and a dry cough, while the common flu causes a runny nose, muscle aches, sneezing and also fever and a cough. We know about the flu for a long time now, so we have an idea of what to expect from it, what symptoms it causes and how people react to it and scientists have developed a flu vaccine that will keep you protected from the flu. Coronavirus is a novel virus and because the first case just appeared a few months ago, we don’t really know very much about it. We have no vaccine and no treatment for it, which is why the best way to help are to stop people from catching it in the first place. this is why you should wash your hands regularly, don’t touch your face, try to avoid large gatherings for a while.

    • Photo: Sarah Clarke

      Sarah Clarke answered on 18 Mar 2020:

      Both are viral infections. Common flu is caused by influenza virus whereas coronavirus causes an illness called Covid-19. The two illness (flu and covid-19) can have similarities for example fevers and muscle aches so it might be difficult to tell them apart. However the coronavirus causing covid-19 is quite new so we are still trying to understand exactly what symptoms it causes and in who. The NHS website has information about coronavirus – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

    • Photo: Sophie Arthur

      Sophie Arthur answered on 20 Mar 2020:

      They are caused by different viruses, but the illnesses they cause have similar symptoms

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