If you feel like everyone you know is getting sick, it’s because they are. The Bay Area is hit with a triple virus threat.
Cases of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus are increasing across the region and across the country, making it harder than ever to pinpoint what’s causing your dry cough or runny nose. The infections cause similar symptoms, but it’s important to know how to tell them apart to get proper treatment and avoid spreading them to others.
“Distinguishing COVID from the flu can be difficult because the symptoms overlap so much,” said Dr. Brooke Bozick, a respiratory disease expert at the National Institutes of Health.
COVID-19 shares several common symptoms with the flu — including fever, dry cough, body aches and fatigue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But many familiar indicators of coronavirus infection have evolved as new variants emerge and immunity from vaccination or previous infection increases.
“As our bodies become more experienced with COVID, symptoms are milder overall,” said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF.
A runny nose, headache or sore throat could now precede a positive coronavirus test result with one of omicron’s many ramifications, while the flu usually starts with a cough. Signs of a cold can include sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes.
Some COVID indicators reported in earlier phases of the pandemic, such as loss of taste and smell, are less common now.
People infected with the flu usually develop symptoms about one to four days after infection. Symptoms of COVID-19 develop three to four days after being infected, but some people may show signs as early as two days or up to 14 days after infection.
RSV, which mainly affects children and the elderly, usually causes mild cold-like symptoms — such as a runny nose, cough, or wheezing — from which most people recover quickly. In infants younger than 6 months, the only indicators of RSV might be irritability, decreased activity and appetite, and pauses in breathing, according to the CDC.
But RSV can also lead to more serious infections like bronchiolitis or pneumonia, with such outcomes more likely in younger and older patients.
Tests are recommended to diagnose the specific virus, but here are some common symptoms to help you figure out what’s making you sick.
Common symptoms of COVID-19
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms, from runny noses to severe illness. Symptoms can appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the CDC. Here are some of the most common.
• Fever, chills
• Headache
• Cough, dry cough
• Muscle aches or pains
• Fatigue
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Sore throat
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
Common flu symptoms
Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly, and sick people may experience some or all of these symptoms.
• Fever, chills
• Headache
• Cough
• Muscle aches or pains
• Fatigue
Symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection
People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within four to six days of infection. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include the following.
• Fever (low grade)
• Headache
• Cough
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Loss of appetite
• Sneeze
Cold symptoms
Symptoms of a cold usually peak within 2 to 3 days and can include the following.
• Cough
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Sore throat
• Sneeze
It’s possible to be infected with more than one of the circulating viruses at the same time, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency.
“We talk about these infections as independent actors, as if people who get one virus at a time can’t get another virus at exactly the same time – or sometimes even worse, a bacterial infection – and that’s not certainly not the case,” he said. “Some of the toughest times I’ve faced as a clinician are when children infected with one virus come in with a second extra. not just additives.It’s such a strain on the immune system that the situation often seems worse.
You should seek emergency medical attention for more serious symptoms, whether caused by a single infection or a “super infection.” These include difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, or discoloration of the skin, lips or fingernails.
Public health experts say vaccination is the first line of defense to avoid symptomatic infection. While flu and COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, there are no vaccines available to prevent RSV. “The power of vaccines to reduce not only the likelihood of you becoming fully infected, but the likelihood of serious illness is real,” Ghaly said.
A proportion of people who contract COVID-19 may experience persistent symptoms that last weeks or even months after the initial infection.
About 200 so-called long COVID symptoms have been identified so far, with a list maintained by the CDC highlighting 20 of the most commonly reported. These range from fatigue and heart palpitations to neurological complications and digestive disorders.
Bay Area residents should follow the familiar preventative measures to curb the spread of all viruses. This includes wearing high-quality masks indoors, washing hands frequently, and staying home when sick.
There are also several treatments available for those with symptoms, including Tamiflu for the flu and Paxlovid for those at high risk for severe COVID-19.
“Getting treatment as quickly as possible if indicated is a key step,” Ghaly said.
Aidin Vaziri is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com
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