Coronavirus Disease 2019 vs. the Flu

hopkinsmedicine ^ | 2/28/20 | Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H.

[NoLibZone]

Influenza (“the flu”) and COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, are both infectious respiratory illnesses. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses.

As of Feb. 28, 2020, the flu is showing much more of an impact on Americans than COVID-19. You can find up-to-date information on COVID-19 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., senior director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins, explains how the flu and COVID-19 are similar and how they are different. Similarities: COVID-19 and the Flu Symptoms

Both cause fever, cough, body aches, fatigue; sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Can be mild or severe, even fatal in rare cases. Can result in pneumonia.

Transmission

Both can be spread from person to person through droplets in the air from an infected person coughing, sneezing or talking. A possible difference: COVID-19 might be spread through the airborne route (see details below under Differences). Flu can be spread by an infected person for several days before their symptoms appear, and COVID-19 is believed to be spread in the same manner, but we don’t yet know for sure.

Treatment

Neither virus is treatable with antibiotics, which only work on bacterial infections. Both may be treated by addressing symptoms, such as reducing fever. Severe cases may require hospitalization and support such as mechanical ventilation.

Prevention

Both may be prevented by frequent, thorough hand washing, coughing into the crook of your elbow, staying home when sick and limiting contact with people who are infected. Differences: COVID-19 and the Flu Cause

COVID-19: Caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus, now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.

Flu: Caused by any of several different types and strains of influenza viruses. Transmission

While both the flu and COVID-19 may be transmitted in similar ways (see the Similarities section above), there is also a possible difference: COVID-19 might be spread through the airborne route, meaning that tiny droplets remaining in the air could cause disease in others even after the ill person is no longer near. Antiviral Medications

COVID-19: Antiviral medications are currently being tested to see if they can address symptoms.

Flu: Antiviral medications can address symptoms and sometimes shorten the duration of the illness. Vaccine

COVID-19: No vaccine is available at this time, though it is in progress.

Flu: A vaccine is available and effective to prevent some of the most dangerous types or to reduce the severity of the flu. Infections

COVID-19: Approximately 84,119 cases worldwide; 62 cases in the U.S. as of Feb. 28, 2020.

Flu: Estimated 1 billion cases worldwide; 9.3 million to 45 million cases in the U.S. per year. Deaths

COVID-19: Approximately 2,871 deaths reported worldwide; 0 deaths in the U.S., as of Feb. 28, 2020.

Flu: 291,000 to 646,000 deaths worldwide; 12,000 to 61,000 deaths in the U.S. per year.

[NoLibZone]

Which nations have Blocked off cities with armed guards?

There in is your answer.

How many people have doe in nations with private health care?

ZERO. nada, zip

[Jane Long]

Only...this isn’t the common flu. Not even close.

This one, reportedly, can spread via sneezes, coughs, saliva and poop.

Does the common flu spread via poop?

Thus, the worry for spread in the homeless areas in CA, etc.

[Zhang Fei]

[They don’t do this for the flu. Why for this virus? ]

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The Chinese over-reaction means leaders in democracies want to be seen as doing something - anything. Otherwise, you get the electoral reaction to Bush’s nonchalant (and appropriate) reaction to the aftermath of Katrina - the electoral wipeout in 2008 that gave us Obamacare. Voters get amped up and want to see dramatic action. Trump gave us the first instalment when he cut off air travel from China. Voters now want a second instalment. He would be wise to give it to them.

[cgbg]

https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-unprecedented-move-israelis-advised-to-avoid-all-travel-over-virus-fears/

The Israelis are not known for being hypochondriacs and needless worriers.

If they are concerned, I am concerned.

[DouglasKC]

On the other hand, there’s what’s happening in Italy and Iran, where random people are getting infected who should not be infected. They presumably aren’t personally-invested in the idea that modern medicine will get them killed, and Chinese-style communal dining is presumably foreign to their traditions. And yet people are getting infected, and some are dying. What’s more - random people who shouldn’t be getting infected are now showing symptoms.

I already knew the answer. It was evident in the first videos coming out of Wuhan.

Virtually everyone agrees now that 80% of the cases are mild. That means 20% are NOT mild and require some form of medical help. The virus spreads easily because mildly sick people are mildly sick for a week to ten days or longer. They spread the virus around. The more people get infected the MORE that need hospitalization.

So here's the deal. There are 964,000 total hospital beds in the US. If only 3,000,000 people get infected that's what...6000 beds? It would take less than that to overwhelm the healthcare system.

That's why governments are trying to stop it. Once it becomes widespread the health care systems essentially collapses. That's what is happening in China. That's what's going to happen in S Korea. And Italy.

[TigersEye]

This one, reportedly, can spread via sneezes, coughs, saliva and poop.

Yes, the flu and common cold can be spread by all those vectors.
Most people don't come in contact with other people's feces.

[Jane Long]

LOL...sounds like you’re keeping track. When were the other times I was wrong. Hubby would likely like to know :)

[Jane Long]

I didn’t realize that the common cold and the common flu could be passed via feces.

>>Most people don’t come in contact with other people’s feces<<

Been to a hospital, or ANY healthcare facility, lately? Ask the nurses and aides about that one...also, been to San Francisco, LA or NYC lately?

[DouglasKC]

Which nations have Blocked off cities with armed guards? There in is your answer.

China and Italy for sure that I know of for a fact. Singapore as well. South Korea is likely.

How many people have doe in nations with private health care? ZERO. nada, zip

I don't know. But there will be.

[nopardons]

BRAVO...great post!

[TigersEye]

Been to a hospital, or ANY healthcare facility, lately? Ask the nurses and aides about that one...also, been to San Francisco, LA or NYC lately?

You forgot to add 'raising babies or toddlers.' :)

I'm not sure what your point is about that. Health care workers tend to understand basic hygiene, wear gloves and wash with anti-microbial soaps frequently.

No, I haven't been anywhere near SF, LA or NYC and don't expect that I ever will be. Are you frequenting those cities?

[LouAvul]

L8R

[NoLibZone]

Of the nations you noted which have government run health care?

Answer: ALL of them.

[DannyTN]

This is ridiculous.

• The flu kills 0.1% of cases. CV kills 2%-10% of cases. 20 to 100 times more.
• CV might only kill 1% if you have access to the equipment needed. But if the hospital gets overwhelmed, then you'll be dealing with this at home and the fatality rate will soar.
• CV killed over 10% of the first 91 cases in China. No one believes China is counting all the cases or even all the deaths, but they are still reporting a 3.6% fatality rate.
• Outside of China things look a little better, but the hospitals aren't overwhelmed yet. Italy is reporting 2.3% have died. 2 of France's 57 have died, that's 3.5%.
• None of the 64 in the US have died, but only 6 have recovered so far. I hope they all recover. But overwhelm the Hospitals and you'll see that rate go up.
• The airborne transmission which they mentioned but didn't elaborate on is a big deal. It make this much easier to transmit.
• We've had the flu before and we have flu vaccines, so a good portion of our population has some immunity which helps limit the transmission and not everybody gets it each year. We don[t have CV vaccines, and none of us have had this, so there is no partial immunity to help slow down the spread.
• CV puts 15-20% of it's victims in serious or critical condition. (It's the flip side of "don't worry about it, for 80% of people it's just a bad cold") Flu puts about 1.5% in serious or critical condition.

Those are big differences, completely ignored by the author.

I'm not saying panic. But I am saying encourage our government to continue to take all the steps necessary to slow down the spread and protect us. Including additional travel bans, increased testing, quarantining, contact tracking and fast tracking medicines and vaccines.

[Captain Peter Blood]

As far as I know there aren’t any.

[TigersEye]

CV kills 2%-10% of cases. 20 to 100 times more.

100s of millions of cases of flu have been studied and quantified for over a century. 85k cases of CV have barely been studied for two months. The mortality rate statistics are hardly comparable.

[tinyowl]

Also, if you're not really sick, the length of time 'I have the flu' buys you is probably a day to a few days off work - maybe a week, whereas if you really are so hungover or in jail that you need a couple weeks to return to work, then you'll be supported and even encouraged to stay out for that period.

It is an ill wind that blows no man good, and this is one of the benefits of Covid -> it seems to fill in a much needed gap in the 'excusable time lengths for a claimed sickness.'

But if you need like 6 months, then that's not going to be good enough. You'll want to say 'I fell off a roof' or something, unless you're going to go the 'I was re-infected' route, but we don't even know if that happens, and certainly it's probably a stretch to say 'I got re-infected' for the 12 or so times you'd need that to happen to cover 6 months.

The main thing is, if you need to lie to get out of work, choose an illness that matches the time frame that fits your needs. And as I said, Covid does fill in what for many has been a much needed and yet missing timeframe.

[Herakles]

I’m going to have to get a bullshit shot after all this hysteria!

[datura]

As soon as there is a vaccine for the WuFlu it will be forgotten in the US, and the globalists will need some new crisis.

[Zhang Fei]

[I’m not saying panic. But I am saying encourage our government to continue to take all the steps necessary to slow down the spread and protect us. Including additional travel bans, increased testing, quarantining, contact tracking and fast tracking medicines and vaccines. ]

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I think there’s less than meets the eye, re the impact of this bug. But politically-speaking, Trump had better get on the ball to give voters pretty much anything they want. This could be his Katrina. Except Katrina occurred only after Dubya had won re-election. Trump needs to be seen doing something or this might be his only term. And then there’s the down-ballot effects.