Coronavirus, Cold, or Flu: A symptom tracker

Here is a breakdown of the symptoms present in coronavirus patients, sorted by how commonly it occurs in carriers. Unless otherwise stated, all data symptoms are according to the Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are also two symptoms that commonly present themselves during this time of year:

“Too Long; Didn’t Read” version

Here is a handy chart for tracking the symptoms of COVID-19, the flu, the common cold, or allergies.

As you can tell, there are several overlaps between the symptoms of coronavirus and less serious respiratory issues. Just because you’ve got a sore throat and can’t taste food well doesn’t mean you’ve been infected! Experts agree that the most important symptoms to look out for are fever and persistent dry cough. Of course, if you’re feeling under the weather, do seek the advice of a medical professional.

We’ve spoken to general practitioner Doctor Yeung, who has a private practice in Fortress Hill, regarding general advice on maintaining your health, when you should worry about the possibility of coronavirus infection, and getting tested.

General COVID-19 advice

• Stop touching your face, especially eyes and nose.
• It goes without saying since most borders are closed, but avoid travelling, especially to high-risk countries such as the USA, the UK, Europe, Iran, Japan, and South Korea.
• Always wear face masks to be on the safe side; there are silent carriers who don't display symptoms.
• Avoid contact with people who have been travelling recently; they should be on a 14-day quarantine anyway.
• Avoid going to places with clusters of people; you never know if there is a COVID-19 carrier among the crowd.
• Living and working together with other people is risky. This might well be an unavoidable necessity, so do take care if you're in constant contact with other people.
• Those who work in sanitation, aviation, and healthcare need to be extra cautious about their hygiene and health.

When should I start to worry?

• If you have been in contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus;
• If you have been in a high-risk area;
• If you are still at work most of time and are in frequent contact with colleagues;
• If you are exhibiting common symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, severe and dry cough, aches, stomach pains, shortness of breath, or any combination thereof);
• Or if you are experiencing less common symptoms of COVID-19 (diarrhoea, loss of smell, irritated eyes)

You could potentially have contracted coronavirus, even if you are not displaying symptoms. Monitor your health closely, pay attention to changes in your body, and consider seeking medical advice.

Testing for coronavirus

There are a few ways through which you can get tested for coronavirus infection, with varying accuracy. The deep throat swab is able to collect the highest concentration of virus in sample, measuring approximately 90 percent. Testing with sputum or saliva samples both have an approximate virus concentration of 80 percent. This make sense as coronavirus is a respiratory infection, and the virus will be present and more easily detected in samples taken directly from the respiratory system. Testing with fecal samples, as is available for screening in CUHK, has an approximate virus concentration of 70 percent.

Blood testing is also available, but these are less accurate. Instead of testing directly for the COVID-19 virus, they test for antibodies to the virus. Of course, as with any disease, natural antibodies develop later than the virus itself—generally around five to seven days after infection—so because of the time involved for the test to function properly, blood tests are generally not recommended for if you display symptoms and need to urgently get tested for treatment. 

There are two types of treatment being used internationally against COVID-19, but they are still in their trial period. Do speak to your healthcare provider if you need to know more about coronavirus medication and treatment.

In general, the best way to protect yourself is to stay vigilant about personal hygiene, and to avoid all unnecessary contact with other people. If you do feel unwell, see if your symptoms match that of coronavirus; if they do not, you could simply stay home, stay hydrated, and let yourself recover as you would any other bout of illness. However, if in doubt, it is best to seek medical advice from a professional. Being mindful about changes in your body and keeping on top of cleanliness will be the key to getting through this pandemic safely!