{"id":120979,"date":"2024-11-01T22:21:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T15:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=120979"},"modified":"2024-11-01T22:21:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T15:21:45","slug":"do-i-have-covid-the-flu-or-something-else-2024-symptoms-and-testing-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=120979","title":{"rendered":"Do I have COVID, the flu or something else? 2024 symptoms and testing to know."},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>Breaking out the tissues? It&#8217;s that time of year! But what kind of sickness do your symptoms point to?<\/p>\n<p>As the weather changes, we can start feeling under the weather too \u2014 but while each illness has a typical set of symptoms, it&#8217;s important to understand you can&#8217;t diagnose on your own, Dr. C\u00e9line Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/video\/cdc-issues-alert-on-spike-in-walking-pneumonia-among-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">said on &#8220;CBS Mornings&#8221; Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If you come in with some symptoms of cough or sore throat or runny nose, whatever it is, I can&#8217;t tell you if that&#8217;s a cold, if it&#8217;s walking pneumonia, if it&#8217;s COVID or the flu. You do need to test,&#8221; she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"newsletter_signup \">\n<figure class=\"embed embed--type-newsletter-widget embed--float-none embed--size-large embed--type-iframe\" data-ads=\"{\" wordcount=\"\">\n<\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The good news? Tests are available.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Since the pandemic, we now have tests that cover all the most common viral and bacterial respiratory infections, making it easy to test for all with one swab,&#8221; Gounder said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Determining your exact illness through testing also helps decide on the best course of treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We have specific treatments for influenza (Tamiflu, Xofluza), COVID (Paxlovid), &#8216;walking pneumonia&#8217; (azithromycin), and other infections, and testing helps guide that treatment,&#8221; she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Signs of COVID 2024<\/h2>\n<p>The <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/xec-covid-variant-symptoms-states-what-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">COVID variant called XEC<\/a><\/span> making headlines in 2024 was spotted around the world and in half of states across the United States last month, but a spokesperson for the CDC said the agency is &#8220;not aware of any specific symptoms associated with XEC or any other co-circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineage.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While symptoms can vary depending on <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/covid-vaccine-second-dose-recommendation-cdc\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">vaccination status<\/a><\/span>, those with COVID can expect symptoms including but not limited to:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cough<\/li>\n<li>Congestion or runny nose<\/li>\n<li>Diarrhea<\/li>\n<li>Fever or chills<\/li>\n<li>Shortness of breath<\/li>\n<li>Loss of taste or smell<\/li>\n<li>Sore throat<\/li>\n<li>Fatigue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Americans are now eligible for\u00a0<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/covid-19-government-tests-can-be-ordered-through-mail-free\/\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">free COVID test kits<\/a><\/span>\u00a0mailed to their homes. According to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/aspr.hhs.gov\/covid-19\/test\/Pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">COVIDtests.gov<\/a>, U.S. households will be able to\u00a0<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/free-covid-tests-how-to-order-online\/\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">order up to four free COVID-19 nasal swab tests<\/a><\/span>\u00a0through the federal program.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>COVID vs flu symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>According to the CDC, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/symptoms\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">flu symptoms<\/a> often include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fever<\/li>\n<li>Cough<\/li>\n<li>Sore throat<\/li>\n<li>Runny or stuffy nose<\/li>\n<li>Body aches<\/li>\n<li>Headaches<\/li>\n<li>Fatigue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever, others may feel feverish or have chills,&#8221; the CDC adds. &#8220;Flu signs and symptoms usually come on suddenly.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Healgen Scientific&#8217;s Rapid Check COVID-19\/Flu A&amp;B Antigen Test <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/fda-covid-flu-otc-home-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">for home use without a prescription<\/a><\/span>, which makes it easier for people to simultaneously test themselves for COVID-19 and the flu on their own.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This is helpful because some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/covid\/signs-symptoms\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">symptoms are the same<\/a>, the CDC reiterates, meaning you &#8220;cannot tell the difference between flu and COVID-19 by symptoms alone.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Cold symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>Unlike abrupt flu symptoms, the onset of cold symptoms is usually gradual, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/common-cold\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">according to the CDC<\/a>, and can include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Runny nose or nasal congestion<\/li>\n<li>Cough<\/li>\n<li>Sneezing<\/li>\n<li>Sore throat<\/li>\n<li>Headache<\/li>\n<li>Mild body aches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Compared to the flu, fever is rare, but low grade fevers can also occur, usually in older children and adults.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The signs and symptoms of a cold usually peak within 2 to 3 days of infection,&#8221; the CDC adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Walking pneumonia, RSV and whooping cough<\/h2>\n<p>Colds and flu aren&#8217;t the only illnesses to be aware of this season. Walking pneumonia, for example, is on the rise among young kids.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The number of two- to four-year-olds diagnosed after visiting the ER for pneumonia related illnesses has jumped from 1% to 7% in the last months, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n<p>Walking pneumonia, known scientifically as mycoplasma pneumonia, is a the kind of bacterial pneumonia that includes symptoms such as sore throat, chest pain and fever in younger kids, Gounder said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We do sometimes see vomiting and diarrhea, which are a little bit atypical,&#8221; she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/whooping-cough-pertussis-back-to-school-surge\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">Whooping cough<\/a><\/span> is also up among school-aged kids, with about <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/whooping-cough-walking-pneumonia-cases-vaccines\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">four times as many cases<\/a><\/span> this year compared to last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The illness is especially dangerous for infants and young kids because of their small airways, CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/video\/cdc-reports-alarming-increase-in-whooping-cough-and-walking-pneumonia-among-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">explained on &#8220;CBS Mornings Plus.&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The reason why it&#8217;s called whooping cough \u2014 it&#8217;s a cough, cough, cough, cough, and then they gasp for air, that&#8217;s the whoop,&#8221; he said. &#8220;As an adult, when you get it, you may be sick, but probably going to be OK in terms of moving air in and out of your body. With infants, airways are so small that they can really have trouble breathing at all.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, affects the upper respiratory system with a runny or stuffy nose as well as a cough or sore throat.<\/p>\n<p>When the virus moves to the lower airways into the bronchi or the lungs, pneumonia or bronchitis can develop, which can be more dangerous.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Most adults recover from RSV within one to two weeks, but children and infants are affected differently because of their smaller airways and underdeveloped immune systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Testing is also important here, since &#8220;there is no way to know if it is RSV, COVID or the flu&#8221; based off of symptoms alone, <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/what-is-rsv-children-cases-rising\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\" rel=\"noopener\">Gounder had said previously<\/a><\/span>. There is no at-home RSV test available, but a pediatrician can test children through a nasal swab.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- data-recirc-source=\"queryly\" --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"component list recirculation component--type-recirculation \">\n<p><h3 class=\"component__title\">More from CBS News<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><!-- tags --><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-author\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/team\/sara-moniuszko\/\" class=\"content-author__name\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">Sara Moniuszko<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-author__bio\">\n<div class=\"content-author__full-information\">\n<p class=\"content-author__text\">Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper&#8217;s wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News&#8217; HealthWatch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/covid-flu-2024-symptoms-testing\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breaking out the tissues? It&#8217;s that time of year! But what kind of sickness do your symptoms point to? As the weather changes, we can start feeling under the weather &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=120979\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=120979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120979\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=120979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=120979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=120979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}