RSV, flu and COVID-19: how can you tell the difference? When you see a doctor and stay home amid triple infection warnings

San Francisco – Doctors have confirmed that several different viruses are spreading through the community at an increased rate.

The triple threat, or “triple infection,” of influenza (flu), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has many common symptoms, making it difficult to determine which one you have. is.

We spoke with Dr. David Hoffman, a pediatric hospitalist at MarinHealth Medical Center, to share his insights on how to tell, when to worry, and when not to worry.

“It’s impossible to know for sure which of these viruses you have without testing, but each virus has some characteristic symptoms,” Hoffman said.

Here’s a look at each symptom and what to do if you or someone in your family gets sick.

influenza

Overview

Influenza usually has a very sudden onset with an incubation period of 1-4 days, unlike COVID-19, where symptoms tend to develop gradually. People usually suffer more from the flu than other types of viruses and it is often accompanied by sore throats, nausea, body aches, vomiting and even diarrhea. It’s a very high fever of 104 degrees. Fever is the body’s way of fighting infections and is not dangerous in and of itself.

“Flu hospitalizations continue to be the highest seen at this time of year in a decade,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, PhD. Come to the donor, it’s a great antiviral to treat both flu and COVID-19.”

The CDC is again suggesting that people voluntarily wear masks indoors to reduce their chances of getting sick in the coming weeks.

It’s never too late to get both vaccines. Experts say that with boosters he will be protected within a week.

Distinctive features

The most characteristic symptom of influenza is a very high fever in the 103-104 range.

Symptoms of influenza include:

• heat
• cold
• headache
• runny nose
• nausea
• Malaise
• loss of appetite
• sore throat

COVID-19 (new coronavirus infectious disease)

Overview

“Coronavirus is familiar to most of us, and its symptoms are similar to the flu and RSV. Most people develop symptoms within the first week after exposure, and symptoms can develop from 2 days up to 14 days after exposure to the virus.”

Distinctive features

“Unlike other viruses, COVID-19 can affect other areas of the body besides the lungs, potentially causing long-term effects,” says Dr. Hoffman.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• cough
• brief fever
• difficulty breathing
• stomach ache
• loss of taste or smell
• congestion
• Malaise
• sore throat
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea
• muscle or body pain
• headache

RSV

Overview

RSV is a virus that already infects many adults and usually only causes cold symptoms in adults. “When I think back to when I had a cold, the congestion was going on and the coughing lasted longer than usual. It could very well have been RSV. These include: fever, chills, headache, runny nose, congestion, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and sore throat,” Dr. Hoffman said.

RSV causes a runny, stuffy nose and cough in most people. Dr. Hoffman says RSV is more likely to cause serious illness in very young children, especially those born prematurely and those with lung or heart disease. The most characteristic symptom exhibited by some children with RSV is wheezing. Wheezing is a high-pitched sound with each exhalation.

“For most people, and most children, RSV does not cause dangerous illness. “You’ll be fine. Just a little bit of oxygen, probably with careful observation. RSV is most likely to cause significant or more serious illness in very young children and very old adults.” said Dr Hoffman.

characteristic symptoms

The most characteristic symptom of some children with RSV is a high-pitched wheeze with each exhalation.

Symptoms of RSV include:

• runny nose
• loss of appetite
• cough
• sneeze
• heat
• Wheezing

when to see a doctor

Dr. Hoffman advises seeking immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms:

• difficulty breathing
• chest pain or pressure
• new confusion
• unable to wake up or stay awake
• bluish lips or face
• severe abdominal pain
• Refusal to eat or drink

When should I leave my child at home?

If your child is showing symptoms of RSV, flu, or COVID-19, health experts recommend keeping your child out of school to avoid spreading the virus to others. It doesn’t matter which virus is the culprit. Care must be taken to prevent spread.

Prevention: How to keep your child from getting sick

Especially with these viruses, prevention is the best medicine. These suggestions are good ideas for avoiding seasonal viruses:

• Get your child vaccinated against influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal and whooping cough.
• Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer.
• If someone in your household gets sick, disinfect high-touch surfaces such as desks, tables, and doorknobs.
• If your child is sick, keep them at home to prevent the disease from spreading.

“Everyone is talking about RSV, but other viruses are also seen in the community, like metapneumovirus, which can cause bronchitis, serious respiratory infections and viral pneumonia. We don’t test because there are thousands of viruses that don’t exist,” Dr. Hoffman said. I’m here.

The most important message he wants to convey to his parents is that worrying too much can do more harm to yourself.

“Anxiety and increased stress make us more susceptible to all kinds of illnesses, chronic conditions, and infections,” says Dr. Hoffman.

“Having said that, I think everyone should do whatever they can to protect themselves from respiratory diseases and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Encouraging a “cocoon” with whooping cough vaccine during pregnancy. You prevent it by not getting whooping cough,” he says.

Likewise, he urged children to get the pneumococcal vaccine (whooping cough).

“Get your hands on COVID-19 and flu vaccines for children and adults. Getting the flu vaccine will probably make you feel like you’ve got a very mild cold, but you can get seriously ill or get sick.” , much better than dying from the flu.Many people choose not to get the flu vaccine because they don’t like it. The benefits far outweigh the risks and inconveniences of getting the flu vaccine.

“Apart from perhaps doing a COVID-19 test, it’s a good idea to rush to your pediatrician’s office or your primary care provider’s office just to get tested and try to find out which of these you have. I don’t think so. People with RSV, flu, COVID-19 will do just fine, so it’s just a matter of deciding if they need to be strictly quarantined and for how long,” he said. rice field.

In fact, these respiratory viruses tend to cause similar symptoms such as coughs, runny noses, and fevers. It doesn’t matter if you’re infected with any of them or thousands of other viruses. Most children recover spontaneously from all these viruses without treatment or serious complications. If your child is sick, consider testing her for COVID-19 first to let her know if and how long she needs to isolate her child at home.