Common Cold or Coronavirus? How Can You Tell the Difference?
As winter sets in across Australia, many of us start experiencing familiar symptoms: a runny nose, sore throat, and a cough. But in a post-COVID world, even a mild sniffle can cause alarm. So, how can you tell the difference between a common cold and COVID-19? Knowing the key symptoms and when to book a doctor appointment — even through an online GP or telehealth doctor — can help you act quickly and appropriately. Similar, but Different: Symptoms Breakdown Both the common cold and COVID-19 are respiratory infections, but they’re caused by different viruses. The cold is usually mild and caused by rhinoviruses, while COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which can have serious complications, especially for vulnerable individuals. Symptoms between the common cold and COVID-19 , based on the comparison table: Runny or blocked nose : This is very common in the common cold, but only shows up occasionally in COVID-19 cases. So, a stuffy nose alone...