Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?

“COVID can present as a common cold, with a runny nose, congestion, and a headache,” says Natasha Chida, MD, an infectious diseases physician at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “In fact, 80 percent of people who get COVID-19 develop mild symptoms that resemble those of a cold.”

COVID-19 symptoms can also mimic signs of the flu, which is especially concerning as flu season approaches and distinguishing between the two illnesses becomes vital. “The flu usually hits with a fever, muscle aches, and a feeling of being rundown, all of which can be present in COVID-19,” Dr. Chida says.