Comparing and contrasting COVID-19 and Influenza in Colombia

The global impact of respiratory illnesses has had a significant global impact throughout history, with

both

influenza

and, more recently,

COVID-19

causing widespread

health

crisis

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crises

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. In

Colombia

, these two diseases have significantly influenced public

health

, social

behavior

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behaviour

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, and the economy.

While

both

are viral respiratory infections, it is important to understand their differences in terms of

transmission

,

symptomps

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symptoms

, treatments, and how

affected

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affect

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the

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apply

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public

health

.

Influenza

and

COVID-19

are two viral diseases that have

had

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apply

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significantly impacted public

health

in

Colombia

,

as well as

around the world.

Both

illnesses share common traits,

such

as being respiratory infections and causing similar symptoms

like

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.

However

, despite these similarities, there are important differences in their virology, modes of

transmission

, clinical severity, and the way the Colombian healthcare system.

Both

influenza

and

COVID-19

are caused by viruses, yet their origins and biological structures are quite different.

Influenza

is caused by the

influenza

virus, which comes in several strains, primarily types A and B. These strains mutate regularly, requiring yearly updates to vaccines.

COVID-19

,

on the other hand

, is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in late 2019.

Although

coronaviruses have existed for years,

this

strain was new and unknown to scientists and

health

authorities.

While

influenza

has been circulating globally for centuries,

COVID-19

is a more recent virus.

Although

both

are RNA viruses, the

influenza

virus mutates faster than SARS-CoV-2.

However

,

COVID-19

has shown the ability to develop new variants over time, as evidenced by the emergence of the Delta and Omicron strains, which have been particularly challenging for public

health

systems worldwide, including

Colombia

’s. The early symptoms of

influenza

and

COVID-19

are quite similar, making it challenging to differentiate between the two without testing.

Both

diseases cause fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, and body aches. In

Colombia

, particularly during flu season or

COVID-19

peaks, many individuals have presented with overlapping symptoms, which has strained testing capacities.

Both

illnesses can lead to more severe respiratory complications, especially in vulnerable groups

such

as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing conditions. In terms of

transmission

,

both

influenza

and

COVID-19

are

spread

mainly through respiratory droplets expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

However

,

COVID-19

has been shown to

spread

more easily, with a higher basic reproduction number (R0) than

influenza

. The R0 for

influenza

in

Colombia

is usually between 1.3 and 1.8,

also

early studies estimated

COVID-19

’s R0 to be between 2 and 3.5, which indicates a higher potential for rapid

spread

.

Although

both

viruses can

spread

through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, airborne

transmission

plays a more significant role in the

spread

of

COVID-19

.