The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Is it COVID or a cold? Here’s how to know the difference
The omicron variant of COVID-19 is quickly increasing state positivity rates around the country, with Connecticut reporting a more than 20 percent infection rate last week. With cases jumping, the first sign of a runny nose or irritated throat may seem like cause for concern. Or is it?
From distinguishing between COVID-19 and a common cold to understanding new quarantine guidance, here’s what to know heading through the most recent wave of the pandemic.
Do I have a cold or COVID-19?
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are many similarities between COVID-19 and cold symptoms, which can typically include a cough, sore throat and runny/stuffy nose, among others. However, the Mayo Clinic notes that COVID-19 can sometimes be accompanied by diarrhea and/or nausea and vomiting, which are two symptoms that a common cold never have. Additionally, the loss of taste or smell usually occurs with COVID-19 early and tends to not be accompanied by a runny or stuffy nose, while colds can produce the phenomenon when a stuffy nose is present.
The two viruses also differ in how long it takes symptoms to appear. The Mayo Clinic reports that COVID-19 symptoms generally appear within two to 14 days following exposure, while cold symptoms take about one to three days to display post exposure.
How do symptoms of the omicron variant differ from those of the delta variant?
The news website Vox notes that preliminary data of out the United Kingdom shows that the top symptoms of the omicron variant were a runny nose, headache, sneezing, a sore throat and fatigue, which aligned with the top symptoms of those infected with the delta variant of the virus.
While the New York Times states that it’s “likely that the symptoms of omicron will resemble delta’s more than they differ,” the reporting notes that a possible difference between the two variants is that Omicron may be less likely to produce the loss of taste or smell. However, it is not yet clear if this subtlety is connected to vaccination status or to the variant itself.
How do COVID-19 symptoms differ from flu symptoms?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu and COVID-19 have a series of similar symptoms, which can include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, body aches and fatigue, among others.
While both illnesses can be accompanied by the loss of smell or taste, the CDC notes that this symptom is most common with COVID-19. Where the two viruses really diverge is in how long it takes for symptoms to appear. It takes flu symptoms approximately one to four days after infection to surface, according to the CDC. It takes COVID-19 symptoms an average of five days after infection to display, though the CDC notes symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days post infection.
How did I get COVID-19 if I am vaccinated?
Known as “breakthrough infections,” the CDC notes that it is possible for those who are fully vaccinated to contract COVID-19 because they are “not 100 percent effective at preventing infection.”
However, when a fully vaccinated person develops symptoms of COVID-19, the CDC reports that “they tend to be less severe symptoms than in unvaccinated people,” rendering vaccinated people “much less likely to be hospitalized or die.”
Those experiencing breakthrough infections are considered contagious, according to the CDC.
How long should I quarantine for if I test positive for COVID-19?
According to the CDC, the isolation time for people with COVID-19 is for five days. If they are asymptomatic, or if their symptoms and fever are gone for 24 hours, the CDC recommends those coming out of that initial five-day isolation period wear a mask when around others for five days.
For those who are unvaccinated, the CDC recommends five days of isolation followed by “strict mask use” for another five days following isolation. If five-day isolation is not possible, the CDC recommends exposed people wear a “well-fitting mask” for 10 days following exposure. These recommendations also hold for those who are six months removed from the final dose of an mRNA vaccine or two months removed from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and have not received a booster shot.
Regardless of vaccination status, the CDC notes that all exposed people should take a COVID-19 test on the fifth day following exposure.
What type of mask is the most protective in the most recent wave of the virus?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a “high-filtration mask that fits closely to your face” is preferable to help protect against the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and others. Such high-filtration masks include N95, KN95 and KF94 masks, the Cleveland Clinic notes.
The American Medical Association reports that people should consider double masking — or wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask — to make for a tighter fit around the nose and mouth. Double masking and high-filtration masks offer better protection than only wearing cloth masks, the AMA notes.
What are my COVID-19 safety risks gathering with vaccinated people? Around unvaccinated people?
According to the New York Times, gauging individual risk following vaccination
is difficult, as it depends on “local conditions, your overall health, the precautions you take and how often you are exposed to unvaccinated people who could be infected.” However, unvaccinated people are at the highest risk for catching and spreading COVID-19, the Times reports.
According to the Scientific American, a study of the Delta variant showed that vaccinated people were just as likely as the unvaccinated to spread COVID-19 to those in their own households. Similarly, the rate of asymptomatic infection among vaccinated and unvaccinated study participants was comparable, the Scientific American notes.
The New York Times notes that people can decrease their risk of contracting COVID-19 from maskless vaccinated people by sticking to smaller gatherings of close family and friends and opting for outdoor get-togethers when possible. People should also take into account the community transmission rate, the Times reports, as well as any guests in attendance who may be immunocompromised.
When gathering with a mixed group of vaccinated
and unvaccinated people, The Atlantic reports that each unvaccinated person at a gathering can raise the risk for all attendees, depending on the community positivity rate and case load.
Additional considerations posed by the Washington State Department of Health include keeping windows open for greater ventilation in indoor settings and wearing masks in large, crowded indoor settings when there is mixed (or unknown) vaccination status.
I have been invited to a gathering — what should I do?
According to the website of Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan's health center, asking guests to get tested prior to a gathering is one way to mitigate risk ahead of attending a gathering. As at-home antigen tests are increasingly hard to come by and lines for PCR testing grow, attendees can also try to increase ventilation in the gathering space by opening windows — or avoiding tight, enclosed spaces altogether, University of Michigan notes. Wearing masks is also an important part of protecting yourself against potential infection.