7 Facts to differentiate between COVID-19, common cold, influenza and allergy

1. If you have productive cough, runny nose or itchy eyes, it means you are away from COVID-19.
2. If you have fever, fatigue and dry cough; it means you might have COVID-19. But it could be a seasonal influenza, which requires medical consultation and doing PCR test to reach the proper diagnosis.
3. If you have shortness of breathing and tight chest, it strongly suggests COVID-19. These symptoms rarely occur in influenza or common cold unless pneumonia develops as a secondary bacterial infection.
4. The initial sign of COVID-19 is fever, which is followed by other symptoms such as dry cough and fatigue. Breathing difficulties tend to appear after 5-10 days after fever.
5. Some patient with COVID-19 my experience nasal congestion, generalized body ache, sore throat and diarrhea (Less frequent symptoms of COVID-19).
6. Sneezing, postnasal drip and itchy eyes are the common symptom of allergy conditions and common cold; and not related to COVID-19.
7. Symptoms of COVID-19 appear after 2-14 days after exposure to infection, while some people may become infected without developing any symptoms at all, but they are still infectious to the others.