The Covid-19 pandemic has affected our operation in ways we could never
have anticipated and we often read or hear Covid-19 is similar as a regular flu. So at GRG we would like to make clear what are the similarities and what are the differences and why you should keep on protecting your staff and your organisation from the virus. Our sources to write this post come from the Johns Hopkins Medicine website and the global maps of the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

First thing to know is that both Influenza (the flu) and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory illnesses. In other words that means they both affect your lungs and breathing, and are contagious.

Now here are some similarities and difference you should be aware of:

Symptoms

Similar symptoms include:

• Fever, cough (that can evolve in pneumonia), body aches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.
• Both can be mild or severe, or even fatal.

However, there are still differences:

• COVID-19 can sometimes cause the sudden loss of the sense of smell (anosmia) or taste (ageusia).
• People infected with Covid19 can be asymptomatic but still be contagious.
• Severe case of Covid19 complications include long-term damage to the lungs, heart, kidneys, brain and other organs.

Prevention

Prevention is a key point in our battle against both viruses. Both sickness can be prevented by the well-known distancing measure gestures like:

• Mask-wearing
• Frequent and thorough hand washing
• Coughing into the crook of your elbow
• Staying home when sick and limiting contact with people who are infected
• Physical distancing limits

Treatments

Both sicknesses are treated by addressing symptoms although severe cases may require hospitalization and the need of a ventilator.

At this moment, there is no vaccine against the Covid19 but multiple laboratories are working on future vaccines and some are even at the testing process. On the contrary, a vaccine is available against most of the dangerous types of the flu. It is advisable to get vaccinated for the flu this year.

The WHO estimates that 290,000 to 650,000 people die of flu-related causes every year worldwide. However, in less than one year, the Covid 19 has already caused over 1,060,000 deaths reported worldwide and over 212,000 deaths only in the US, the highest reached country in the world. Moreover, most people do not yet have immunity to it and scientists are still working to estimate the mortality rate of COVID-19.