​How do you know if you have COVID-19, flu, or RSV?

Woman not feeling well in bed

Respiratory illnesses are on the rise this winter season. 但很难确定你的病是RSV、流感还是COVID-19.

而进行COVID-19测试是自己确定是否感染了该病毒的唯一可靠方法, 了解他们各自的症状可以帮助你了解治疗方法. In all cases, it is recommended that you rest, take time to recover at home, 和其他人在一起时戴上口罩，以限制疾病的传播.

“我们可能无法完全消除这些疾病, 但我们当然可以采取措施减轻它们作为COVID-19病例的影响, flu, and RSV go up,十大博彩推荐排名希区柯克医疗中心的首席质量官说 Michael Calderwood, MD, MPH, a specialist in infectious diseases. “随着医院人满为患，商业和学校受到社区人数增加的影响，尽我们所能预防和阻止它们恶化和蔓延就更加重要了。."

The range of early symptoms

While differences can seem subtle, some exist, 当你第一次生病时，这些可以作为路标.

“很难区分由不同呼吸道病毒引起的疾病, but generally speaking, the flu often comes on quickly, typically with fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, and a dry cough," says Calderwood.

In contrast to the flu, RSV usually comes on gradually. "People often report congestion, such as a runny or stuffy nose, at times accompanied by sneezing," he says. “与其他呼吸道病毒相比，呼吸道合胞病毒也更常出现喘息(呼吸时发出尖锐的口哨)."

COVID-19不同于流感或RSV，因为它可以以不同的形式出现. "While we see many of the same symptoms such as cough, fatigue, and headache, COVID-19 may also present with nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or sudden loss of taste and/or smell. 喉咙痛似乎在COVID-19中比在流感或呼吸道合胞病毒中更常见，”卡尔德伍德说.

当你对自己可能患有的呼吸道疾病有疑问时，一定要检测COVID-19. To purchase a test, you can go to your local pharmacy. 联邦政府仍然通过邮件提供免费的COVID-19快速检测. You can order 4 free tests at COVIDTests.gov and they will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

How to treat

When these illnesses are not severe, rest, fluids, and good care can go a long way toward recovery, 但密切关注任何疾病的严重程度都很重要. 还要记住，如果你担心疾病的表现，请咨询你的医生.

For RSV

For RSV, 特别重要的是要密切监测患有某些现有疾病(如心脏病)的成人和儿童, cystic fibrosis, and certain lung diseases. 总体而言，老年人的免疫系统较弱，所以要密切关注他们. 婴儿在他们的第一个呼吸道病毒季节特别容易感染呼吸道合胞病毒，指出 十大博彩推荐排名希区柯克医疗中心普通儿科主任，Susanne Tanski，医学博士，公共卫生硕士. 这是因为人们不仅在第一次接触呼吸道疾病时病情最严重, 但是婴儿细小的呼吸道会导致更严重的疾病, she says.

For flu

Flu, like all illnesses, also should be monitored. The CDC, in its flu treatment recommendations, 表明抗病毒药物可能是一些人的治疗选择, particularly those at higher risk. 咨询你的医生，看看它们是否适合你. 抗病毒药物在早期使用效果最好，比如在流感症状开始后1到2天. 患流感并发症风险较高的人群包括幼儿, adults 65 years of age and older, pregnant people, 还有患有哮喘等疾病的人, diabetes, and heart disease.

For COVID-19

The CDC offers guidelines 关于如何治疗COVID-19，并表示大多数症状都可以用非处方药治疗, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. FDA还授权或批准了几种抗病毒药物，用于治疗更容易生病的轻度至中度COVID-19患者. Those more at risk include adults aged 50 or older, 未接种疫苗或未及时接种疫苗的人, and people with certain medical conditions. 医疗保健提供者将帮助您决定哪种治疗方法适合您. If you are taking other medications, 请咨询您的提供者或药剂师，以确保同时可以安全地服用COVID-19治疗.

Prevention

All people, but especially those in high-risk categories, 戴口罩能预防疾病吗, avoiding crowded places, and washing their hands. 如果你生病了，呆在家里，远离其他人.

Be sure to get your vaccines, too. The most recent COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, 和诺瓦瓦克斯有助于降低严重疾病或住院的机会, including this season’s COVID-19 variant JN.1. 如果您已经感染了COVID-19，并且想知道是否需要再次接种疫苗, Calderwood provides these tips. 关于这些新疫苗在当前呼吸道病毒季节提供保护的最新数据有 just been published.

As far as the flu, 大多数人在这个季节只需要一剂流感疫苗, ideally prior to November. However, says the CDC在美国，只要流感病毒还在传播，就应在整个季节继续接种疫苗.

To help prevent or minimize the effects of RSV, the CDC 60岁及以上的成年人可以选择接种单剂RSV疫苗, 基于患者和医疗保健提供者之间的讨论. 它还建议孕妇在怀孕32周到36周之间接种一剂RSV疫苗. For those with babies under the age of 8 months, parents should ask their pediatrician about Nirsevimab, 保护婴儿免受严重呼吸道合胞病毒感染的新型被动免疫.

卡尔德伍德总结说:“及时接种疫苗, 采取措施保护和照顾好自己和亲人, 并且要意识到你是否有更高的患严重疾病的风险, 所有这些都可以在很大程度上减轻它们的严重程度，并防止这些疾病在今年冬季进一步传播."

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