Health Matters

COVID-19 and Flu

BY ANN CONNELLY AND MARY KATE FRANCIS, M.D.

As we move into the winter months in Ohio, our thoughts turn again to respiratory illnesses. While there is still much we do not know about COVID-19, we know more than we did at the start of 2020. We are also in the midst of the traditional flu (influenza) season. Let’s take a closer look at these two illnesses.

As you know, COVID-19 is a novel (new) coronavirus that originated in China and has swept around the world. There have been millions of cases in the United States, with several hundred thousand deaths from COVID-19. In response to this illness, there have been changes made to our routines in both our personal and work lives, including the ways children and youth are educated. People with COVID-19 may have had a wide range of symptoms that commonly appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Possible symptoms include fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; and/or diarrhea.

Seasonal influenza, also known as the flu, usually occurs in Ohio as early as October and may run as late as March. It is usually spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing. Flu causes fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. Most people who get flu usually recover in one to two weeks, but flu, like COVID-19, can be deadly. There are an estimated 200,000 people hospitalized with flu and more than 20,000 flu related deaths each year in the U.S.

Similarities

Flu and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, with some similar symptoms. Testing may be necessary to tell which one has caused a person’s illness. Other similarities include: • Spreads from one person to another in close contact; mainly by droplet when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks; or by touching a contaminated surface and eyes, nose and mouth • One or more days pass between infection and onset of symptoms • A person may spread the illness before showing symptoms • High risk individuals include older adults, pregnant people, and people with chronic medical conditions • Complications include pneumonia, respiratory failure, heart injury or inflammation

A table comparing the symptoms of COVID-19 to other common illnesses is available online from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Differences

While there are some similarities between COVID-19 and flu, there are some significant differences highlighted in the chart on page 39.

Prevention

For both flu and COVID-19, illness prevention is best. Because they are both respiratory illnesses, prevention measures are similar.

For flu, prevention includes:

• Avoid close contact with a person who is sick. If you are sick, avoid close contact with others • Cover coughs and sneezes • Wash your hands with soap and water often. Use hand sanitizer

Cause Spread Illness

Symptoms

Contagious

When is it over?

COVID-19

Infection with coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Spreads more easily, with superspreader events Seems to cause more serious illnesses in some people; school aged children at higher risk of complication called MIS-C May be mild to severe; young children at highest risk

Typically develop 5 days after infection, but ranges from 2-14 days. Some have lingering symptoms that can last months Develop 1-4 days after infection; last up to 2 weeks

Appears to spread 2 days before symptoms and 10 days after symptoms start and after testing positive 1 day before to 7 days after symptoms start

Treatment

Still under investigation Vaccine Available? Yes - check local health department

FLU

Infection with influenza viruses

Stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone without the need to use a fever-reducing medicine Anti-viral medications Yes

with at least 60% alcohol if you cannot wash your hands • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth • Frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that may be contaminated

Additional steps have been recommended to prevent COVID-19. These will also lesson transmission of flu:

• Stay 6 feet away from people that do not live in your household • Wear a facemask that covers your nose and mouth whenever you are around others not in your household • Monitor your health daily. Contact your healthcare provider for guidance if you have any symptoms of COVID-19

At the time of this writing (October 2020), vaccine trials are ongoing for COVID-19. [Editor’s note: COVID-19 vaccine phased rollout began in December 2020. Please contact your local health department and/or medical provider about the COVID-19 immunization process.] Recommendations for flu vaccine are for everyone aged six months or older should get the flu vaccine annually. Children receiving the vaccine the first time should have two doses. Flu immunization is particularly important for people in high risk categories, including:

• Pregnant women • Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old • People 65 years of age and older • People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions • People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities • People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including: o Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 5 years of age with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children younger than 6 months of age (children younger than 6 months are at highest risk of flurelated complications but are too young to get vaccinated) o Health care workers o Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu

School and Public Health Partnership

Schools and public health have a long history of working together to support the health of the community and the academic success of students. If you have a school nurse, they can help bridge the school and health worlds. You are encouraged to continue to work closely with your local health district to identify trends in flu and COVID-19 absences, best way to prevent outbreaks in your school and community, and to encourage immunization for both of these serious respiratory illnesses when the vaccines are available.

For more information, please visit the Ohio Department of Health website or the Centers for Disease Control website.

Dr. Mary Kate Francis is the Interim Medical Director for the Ohio Department of Health. You can contact her via email at MaryKate.Francis@odh.ohio.gov.

Ann M. Connelly is the Public Health Nurse Supervisor for the School Nursing and Early Childhood Health Programs at the Ohio Department of Health. You can contact her via email at Ann.connelly@odh.ohio.gov.