No, Covid-19 and flu are not the same. Explained

Hyderabad: A viral tweet claims that Covid-19 and common flu are the same.

The tweet reads, "covid = flu and flu = covid. even the test kits admit this now."

People suffer from common cold and flu all the time but we've never experienced such mass deaths that we saw in the last few years due to Covid-19. Aren't those horrific numbers enough to prove Covid-19 is different from common flu?

Let's check the facts.

FACT CHECK

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines seasonal influenza as "a sudden onset of fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), sore throat and a runny nose."

It adds, "The cough can be severe and can last 2 or more weeks. Most people recover from fever and other symptoms within a week without requiring medical attention. But influenza can cause severe illness or death especially in people at high risk."

Meanwhile, WHO defines Covid-19 as "an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. " It says, "Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age."

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the differences and similarities between flu and Covid-19:

· Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses.

· COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) first identified in 2019. Flu is caused by infection with a flu virus (influenza viruses).

· COVID-19 spreads more easily than flu.

· COVID-19 vaccines remain critical to reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death.

· COVID-19 can cause more severe illness in some people.

· People infected with COVID-19 may take longer to show symptoms and may be contagious for longer periods of time.

It is evident that Covid-19 is way deadlier than flu and it would be foolish to compare flu with Covid-19.

Hence, the post is false.