*Coronavirus, Cold Or Flu? Symptoms & How To Tell The Difference*
'Coronavirus, cold, or flu symptoms? How to tell the difference,' DW, Feb. 28, 2020.
Runny nose, cough, sore throat, and fever: Symptoms are often similar when one starts to feel sick. That makes it difficult to tell if the illness is a virus or a bacterial infection.
At first glance, symptoms for the new coronavirus, otherwise known as 2019-nCoV, are similar to those we know as a common cold or flu.
- Common coronavirus symptoms can include:
— Fever
— Dry cough
— Shortness of breath
— Aching muscles
— Fatigue
- Less typical coronavirus symptoms:
— Phlegm buildup
— Headache
— Hemoptysis
— Diarrhea
*Symptoms atypical for coronavirus:
— Runny nose
— Sore throat
A runny nose and a sore throat are typical signs of upper respiratory infection. Therefore, those who have bouts of sneezing or get the sniffles likely have the flu or a common cold.
As the new coronavirus generally affects the lower respiratory tract, most of those infected exhibit a dry cough, shortness of breath or pneumonia, but not a sore throat.
Many initially show no symptoms: Many of those infected with the new virus initially showed no symptoms. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), a German government disease control and prevention agency, the new virus has an incubation period of 14 days.
If you are not sure what you have or are concerned, you should see a doctor. A health care professional can have a phlegm sample analysis made to determine the presence or absence of respiratory viruses. That will provide clarity for both you and your doctor.
- Do respiratory masks help?
Not really. Viruses are not airborne, and the current coronavirus is transmitted as a droplet or smear infection. Therefore, it is better to keep a safe distance from those who are or may be infected. A key preventative measure is to thoroughly and regularly wash one's hands with soap and hot water. It is also best to use disposable towels when drying one's hands afterward.
- Flu or cold? Here are the little differences
Even doctors can have difficulty telling the difference between a case of influenza infection and a common cold when confronted with a patient's symptoms.
- With a cold, most people get a scratchy throat, then a runny nose and eventually develop a cough. Those symptoms, as well as fever and headache, can plague a person for days, making them feel listless.
- By comparison, the flu hits you all at once: A flu patient's head and limbs ache, a dry cough begins, one's voice becomes hoarse, painful throat aches occur and a high fever (up to 41°C / 105°F), often accompanied by chills, can knock you out in short order. One just wants to stay in bed, feels exhausted, has no appetite and can sleep for hours on end.
- A common cold typically passes within a few days and most symptoms go away after about a week. A flu is more tedious, keeping a person bedridden for at least a week, in some cases requiring several weeks before a person truly feels healthy again...
Read More, https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-symptoms/a-52233885
= new reply since forum marked as read
but I'm pretty sure it's from drastically reducing my cigarette consumption. It's comforting to know that I can tell that tiny fearful voice in the back of my mind to STFU 
Thanks for posting this; my husband stays in a lot of hotels so I am a bit concerned about him. It's good to know what to watch for without nagging him.
