Healthy Living: COVID-19 or the Flu
Just a year ago, having a cough or a sore throat would likely mean that you had caught a cold or the flu. These days that is not such an easy assumption to make. How do you know if the symptoms you are experiencing signal allergies, a cold, or COVID-19? In Healthy Living tonight, we attempt to reduce some of that anxiety with advice from a professional.
Marleni Cuellar, Reporting
We’ve all been there. You wake up a little stuffy, sneezy, and you begin furiously googling your symptoms? But with the recent drop in temperatures, how do you know if it’s a cold, flu, allergies, or COVID? According to Internist and Intensivist at Belize Healthcare Partners, Doctor Jorge Hidalgo, it can be hard to tell as they all have similar symptoms. He breaks down some of the critical differences.
Jorge Hidalgo
Dr. Jorge Hidalgo, Intensivist, Belize Healthcare Partners
“The influenza season is right now, and of course, there are many symptoms that basically the COVID-19 and influenza share. But also there are some differences that we need to take into consideration. We can say that essentially coughing, fever and general malaise are symptoms that both conditions share. Now also in terms of symptoms that can differentiate. One of the other is that COVID-19, most of the time, the symptoms that we can express is that we have lost the sense of smell and sense of taste and this symptom that basically are part of COVID-19. We don’t see that in influenza. Eighty percent of the patients with COVID-19 will probably be asymptomatic or develop just mild symptoms that they just have a loss of smell and taste versus influenza it can be more sudden you can have a fever a lot of runny nose, you can also have those is COVID, but it is not very common, and general malaise with a body aches fever, and that’s most of the times we will see in influenza. When we see those patients with COVID with one of the most important symptoms that they present with shortness of breath. We need to mention an additional condition that is important, and that is a seasonal allergy. Most of the patients who suffer from allergies tend to recognize their symptoms unless something is different, then they know that they need to come to the doctor.”
But as the daily COVID case counts and deaths keep rising in Belize, he recommends getting tested to be sure.
Marleni Cuellar
“So what you’re saying, doc, is that basically don’t take any chances if you have these symptoms?”
Dr. Jorge Hidalgo
“Well, at this stage, the most important thing is don’t take any chances because in terms of the aggression of the virus and how sick you can be, of course, if you get COVID-19, you know you can end up in the hospital and possibly in the I.C.U., and we don’t want that. There are many patients at home who are trying to treat by using Doctor Google. It is not good to advise; it is best if you are guided by your family physician and helping you go through if it’s just influenza or if it is COVID-19 in a mild to moderate case.”
Marleni Cuellar
“How quickly can it go from bad to requiring intensive care treatment?”
Dr. Jorge Hidalgo
“The moment you start with shortness of breath, it means you have to come to the hospital. Also, you can do a simple trial at home; you can go into your room and walk to the bathroom if that tires you, and that makes you feel gasping like you need air. Then this is an indication that you need to come to the hospital immediately because things are not going right.”
Hidalgo is currently the head of the COVID-19 unit at Belize Healthcare Partners. The unit can treat six patients at a time. He says the unit has been functioning at capacity for weeks. He urges all Belizeans to do all they can to stop the spread of the virus.
Dr. Jorge Hidalgo
“We definitely feel a sense of frustration when despite everything. Despite you guys as media, are promoting in different ways, if you go to the internet. You just walk outside, and you see all the signs that you must adhere to social distancing, and you see people reluctant or laughing joking about it. It is very frustrating for us in the medical field. Especially when we see patients in COVID-19 units in I.C.U. struggling and connected to a mechanical ventilator for three to four weeks, and we don’t want to end in an I.C.U. We have the COVID units, and it is available, but we don’t want you guys in the unit struggling and suffocating for air.”
Once again, remember to wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, call the Ministry of Health’s hotline at 0-800-MOH-CARE or 0-800-664-2273.
