Influenza, including the Australian variant, and from Covid: how to distinguish them? In truth, only the swab (rapid or molecular) can clarify the doubt because most of the symptoms are superimposable, even if the Coronavirus can limit taste and smell, all its prerogative. When in doubt, it is better to stay at home if you are afraid of infecting colleagues and friends. And “isolate” yourself from family members, also remembering the use of the mask. For the “frail” the flu vaccine is always recommended. Furthermore, the “real flu” starts with a fever of at least 38°C.
According to the virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco, the flu peak will be “in the Christmas period, when it will reach 150,000 cases a day, for a seasonal total of 10 million cases on New Year’s Eve”.
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Australian influence, Pregliasco: no to Christmas dinner
Possible victims of the Australian flu? “Twenty thousand dead is a number that can fit” among the plausible estimates for the virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco. This figure has also been placed by the expert in recent days in the highest part of the gap. Pregliasco spoke about it again today on Rai Radio1, guest of ‘Un Giorno da Pecorà. “The number of infections is rising – explained the professor of Hygiene of the State University of Milan – even if the peak for this flu should be immediately after the holidays”. So what to do if you are flu before Christmas dinner? “If you have a cold, flu, or have a little fever, it’s better to stay at home and not go,” warns the expert. Should we also limit the number of guests? “Maybe I’d limit it to a dozen people,” he concluded.
Symptoms
Symptoms of the Australian flu come on suddenly and include: high fever, between 38°C and 40°C; “cold” chills; headache; sweating; muscle and bone pain; tiredness and drowsiness; weakness; a runny nose; nasal congestion; sneezing; dry cough and lack of appetite. Rarer in adults vomiting and diarrhea, more common among children.
As can be seen, this is a much wider range of symptoms than that of Covid. Even with the flu, asymptomatic people are still contagious.
The complications
Above all, they concern children and adults who are “frail” due to other pathologies or age: ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and sinusitis.
To the duration
The Aussie seems more persistent than most cases of Covid, especially in people vaccinated for the Coronavirus: at least 5 days, often a week. For babies, it is common to get to 10 days. In particular, the feeling of tiredness persists for a few days after recovery.
The cure
Having said that the general practitioner should be consulted for any doubts, to deal with the Australian non antibiotics are needed (it is a viral and not a bacterial infection).
For high fever, paracetamol (acetylsalicylic acid only for those over 16 years), for muscle and bone pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Sedative cough syrups. And then rest and light meals.