It is difficult to know at the first runny nose which virus you have been infected with. The terms flu and cold are often used interchangeably, says general practitioner Susan Stam. “Logical because the symptoms or complaints you can get from both are often the same.”
The difference is in what caused the disease. “Flu is caused by the influenza virus, a cold can be caused by various viruses such as the rhinovirus. COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.”
“Many viruses cause flu-like symptoms,” says Harald Wychgel of RIVM. “You can only determine the causative agent of these types of complaints if you have taken a sample. This is usually done at the GP. The samples are used as a sample to see how many people nationwide suffer from an acute respiratory infection.”
According to the RIVM, more than 58 people out of 100,000 inhabitants have been infected with the influenza virus for several weeks, and then there is a flu epidemic.
Your body works hard to fight the virus, which leads to complaints such as fever and fatigue.
Keep a close eye on your body
A cold includes complaints such as a stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, hoarseness and earache. In the case of the flu, fever, muscle pain, shortness of breath and fatigue can be added. These symptoms can also indicate corona, so do a self-test to see which virus you have.
If you have a cold, you can ease the symptoms by steaming or with nasal drops. After a few days, the virus leaves the body on its own. The flu usually goes away on its own within a few days. You can take paracetamol to lower the fever and make sure you drink plenty of fluids. Keep a close eye on your body. If the complaints worsen, you become drowsy or short of breath, you should contact your doctor.
The cold, flu and coronavirus enter through the mucous membrane of the nose, throat and airways and very occasionally through the eye mucosa. “The mucous membranes of your nose, throat and airways are affected, causing the mucous membrane to swell,” says Stam. “The cilia on the mucous membranes are damaged and this causes cough, sore throat and snot. Your body starts an immune response to fight the virus. This immune response causes complaints such as fever and fatigue.”
We are indoors and close to each other
This is the first wave of flu since the beginning of 2020, and it has everything to do with COVID-19. At least, with the measures taken over the past two years to contain the corona virus.
“In itself, COVID-19 has nothing to do with the flu,” says Wychgel. “You can become infected with SARS-CoV-2 and then with the influenza virus. But the measures taken to combat the coronavirus also helped contain the flu. Our immunity may be less good after two year without flu, but it is still too early to draw conclusions from that.”
The risk of infection for colds and flu is greater in winter. That has nothing to do with cold. “We spend more time indoors and don’t ventilate properly,” says Stam. “Especially during the holidays, everyone is close together.”
“In the winter, the conditions for flu are favorable,” Wychgel agrees. “You can hardly avoid it. The only thing you can do is reduce the risk of infection. By washing your hands often, sneezing in the elbow and touching your mouth and nose as little as possible. And stay 1 .5 meters away from other people. That measure is still very effective.”
Griep of verkoudheid?
Thuisarts.nl geeft uitleg wat te doen bij de verschillende ziektes.
Verkoudheid
- Bij verkoudheid zijn de slijmvliezen in de neus en keel ontstoken.
- Je kunt klachten krijgen als een verstopte neus, niezen, hoesten, keelpijn, heesheid en oorpijn.
- Verkoudheid ontstaat door een virus.
- Soms is corona de oorzaak van verkoudheid. Doe een coronatest.
- Medicijnen zijn bij verkoudheid niet nodig.
- Je kunt misschien neusdruppels of neusspray gebruiken.
Griep
- Bij griep heb je koorts en spierpijn. Je hoest en hebt vaak keelpijn.
- Soms is corona de oorzaak van deze klachten. Test jezelf op corona.
- Drink 1,5 tot 2 liter per dag (water, thee).
- Meestal gaat griep binnen een paar dagen vanzelf over.
- Bij klachten kun je paracetamol nemen.
- Bel je huisarts als je griep hebt én één of meer van deze klachten: benauwd zijn, suf voelen, verward zijn of steeds zieker worden.
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28 dec 2022 om 17:35
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