Corona virus vs. Flu: There are 6 differences between diseases – Switzerland

The Similarities:

• Both are respiratory diseases caused by a virus, the course of which can vary greatly – from asymptomatic or mild to very severe, sometimes even fatal.
• Both pathogens are predominantly transmitted via droplets, for example when speaking or coughing, or through direct contact. That is why the same precautionary measures apply to both: good hand hygiene, coughing in the elbows or a handkerchief, avoiding contact with infected people.

The differences:

• The flu spreads faster: influenza has a shorter incubation period between infection and the development of the first symptoms, and the infections in the infection chains occurred more quickly. With Covid-19 this interval is about 5 to 6 days, with influenza at 3 days. This means that influenza can spread faster than Covid-19.

In addition, influenza often infects other people even before symptoms develop. With Covid-19, transmissions are known 24 to 48 hours before the onset of symptoms, but according to the current state of knowledge, they are rare, unlike flu, and hardly played a role in the spread.

• According to WHO data, the new coronavirus Sars-CoV-2 is passed on from one infected person to an average of two to two and a half other people – and thus to more than with influenza. Because of the uncertain data situation and various effects influencing the value, a comparison in this aspect is only possible to a limited extent, according to the WHO.
• Children are more affected by flu: “Children are important drivers of the transmission of influenza viruses in the community,” said the WHO. For the Covid 19 pathogen, initial evaluations showed that children are less affected than adults and rarely develop clear symptoms. According to preliminary data, it can also be assumed that children become infected primarily in adults – but conversely adults hardly in children.
• Covid-19 is more often fatal: According to previous evaluations, there are more severe to life-threatening courses with Covid-19 than with the flu. According to the WHO, the course in 15 percent of those infected is so difficult that an additional supply of oxygen is necessary. The death rate is probably higher than with the normal seasonal flu wave – exact details can hardly be given at the moment.
• The risk groups differ: Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases or a weakened immune system are considered to be particularly at risk from influenza in severe cases. At Covid-19, children and pregnant women belong to the current state of knowledge Not to the risk groups.
• There is no vaccination for the corona virus: “While there are a number of clinical drug trials in China and there are more than 20 vaccines against Covid-19 in development, there are no approved vaccines or therapies for Covid-19 yet,” said the WHO. With influenza, however, there are both protective vaccinations and approved antiviral drugs.

(kün / sda / dpa)

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