(NEXSTAR) – Three respiratory illnesses, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza, continue to infect hundreds of thousands of Americans daily – which can make it hard to tell what’s wrong when you feel a cough start.
All three viruses cause disease with overlapping symptoms. A chart created by Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC compares the most common differences at a glance.
Although cough and fever are common to all three, there are other ways the viruses differ. Sneezing is common with RSV, sometimes occurs with COVID-19 and is rare with influenza, according to the hospital’s symptom chart. On the other hand, headaches and body aches are rare with RSV, sometimes occur with COVID-19, and are common with influenza.
Another thing to pay attention to is “symptom onset,” says the Children’s National. While both COVID-19 and RSV start out gradually and then get worse, the flu usually hits hard and fast.
With RSV, symptoms often resolve within about a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms persist longer with the flu, about one to two weeks, and may last even longer with COVID-19.
The severity of symptoms in all three cases varies from person to person.
Another key difference: There are vaccines for influenza and COVID-19, but no vaccine for RSV — although researchers are working on one.
While reviewing your symptoms is a good place to start, doctors recommend getting tested to help inform next steps.
“For the flu and for COVID, we have antivirals that work if taken soon after signs of symptoms,” said Dr. Andrew Pekosz, virologist and professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “So particularly if you’re in a high-risk group, it’s good to know. … These are important tools that we really need to continue to use.
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