Compare and Contrast Essay Assignment Week 4 Coronavirus Versus Influenza GHead8538

Gershan Head
Professor Tina Carbon

ENG101 (Compare and Contrast Essay Assignment Unit#4)
25 April 2020
Page |1
Coronavirus vs. Influenza
Coronavirus, Covid-19, SARS COV-2, what is it and is it more contagious and even
deadlier than Influenza? As many Scientists are racing to find more out about the coronavirus as
well as a viable treatment or vaccine for it, what we know about the virus responsible for it and
the dangers it poses to the public will change when more current information is available. In this
essay we will examine the differences and similarities between Covid-19 and Influenza and how
they affect people’s lives.
Influenza (also known as the Flu) and COVID-19 (also known as SARS COV-2), the
disease caused by the novel coronavirus, are each capable of causing infectious respiratory
disease(s). However, there are some very important differences between these two viruses and
how they are treated. Though COVID-19 and Influenza symptoms can appear quite similar, both
are caused by very different viruses. They can both present as a very wide range of illnesses
anywhere from asymptomatic, without any physical signs at all, to very mild symptoms up to
severe symptoms including death.
They are both communicably transmitted diseases which means that they can be spread
through everyday contact with other individuals, from droplets from the nasal passages, sneezing
and coughing, and from objects or materials that are likely to carry bacteria and infections such
as clothing, tools/utensils, furniture, etc. Both viruses are preventable through thorough and
frequent washing of your hands, practicing coughing into the crook of your elbow, staying home
when you are sick and limiting your contact with other people who either are or may potentially
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Gershan Head
25 April 2020
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be infected. Social and physical distancing is heavily encouraged and can limit the spread of
COVID-19 and the Flu among the communities.
According to the Center for Disease Control or CDC, the more common influenza
symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and pains, headaches, a runny or
stuffy nose, lethargy and, sometimes accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting. Influenza
symptoms can often come on all of a sudden and most individuals that contract influenza will
recover in approximately 2 weeks or less. However, in certain people, influenza can cause
serious complications, and can even include pneumonia. Although there is a Covid-19 pandemic,
there is no influenza caused pandemic currently happening.
Concerning COVID-19, many doctors and scientists have yet to understand and ascertain
the full spectrum of this virus’ illness symptoms and its severity. The symptoms reported in
patients to date varies from asymptomatic or very mild to more severe, and has included fever,
cough and shortness of breath. In general, studies have reveal that of the hospitalized patients
they’ve found about 83% - 98% of them developed a fever, 76% - 82% developed a dry cough
and 11% - 44% developed lethargy and muscle pains, according to a study on COVID-19 that
appeared in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in February. Less common
symptoms including headaches, sore throat, stomach pain, and diarrhea, were reported. Another
even less common symptom that was reported is the loss of smell in certain COVID-19 patients
according to Live Science.
There have been many scientific studies done on seasonal influenza for many decades.
And in spite of the danger it poses, a lot more in known about the different strains of influenza
type viruses and what we can expect each season. Though more is learned as this pandemic
Gershan Head
25 April 2020
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continues, still not much information is currently known about Covid-19 and the illness it causes
due to the fact that it is new to the human population. COVID-19 is currently a bit of a mystery
because it is not yet known how far the virus will be spread and total deaths it will cause
altogether. This situation of the coronavirus is changing very quickly. Because the illness is
caused by a virus that is so new to the human population, people don’t presently have any
immunity to the virus, obtaining a vaccine for it may be a long way away and up to 18 months
has been currently predicted.
According to the CDC, to date the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 has led to an
estimated 2,724,809 confirmed cases of illness and 187,847 deaths in 213 Countries. For
comparison, Globally, influenza has caused an estimated 3 – 5 million cases of illness and about
290,000 to 650,000 respiratory deaths annually, according to the CDC. For both Covid-19 and
Influenza, hospitalization and death occur mainly among the high-risk groups. The Coronavirus
is estimated to be 5 to 10 times more deadly than Influenza for individuals aged 0 – 45 years and
an estimated 12 and a half times more deadly than Influenza for individuals 85 years and older.
According to the Business Insider, the average Covid-19 patient can infect two to two and a half
other individuals which makes coronavirus that much more contagious than seasonal Influenza.
Because of the high level of contagiousness of Covid-19, many countries as well as many
States within the U.S. have enacted restrictions on citizens encouraging social distancing and
following sanitary procedures of hand washing and wearing face masks and gloves when out in
public areas to lessen the rate of contractions, illnesses and deaths due to this disease.
Gershan Head
25 April 2020
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References
Coronavirus Disease 2019 vs. the Flu, Johns Hopkins Medicine
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-
disease-2019-vs-the-flu
Editorial: The deadly flu vs. the coronavirus pandemic, Trib Live.com
https://triblive.com/opinion/editorial-the-deadly-flu-vs-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
Flu vs. coronavirus mortality rate, The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/04/coronavirus-flu-comparison/
How does the new coronavirus compare with the flu? Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/new-coronavirus-compare-with-flu.html
Influenza (Flu) vs. Coronaviruses Yale New Haven Health, 20 Apr. 2020
https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/urgent-care/flu-or-coronavirus
Coronavirus is different from influenza and can be contained ..., 3 March 2020, WHO
https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/03/who-coronavirus-different-than-influenza-can-be-
contained/
Similarities and differences – COVID-19 and Influenza, WHO
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-similarities-and-differences-covid-19-and-
influenza
The coronavirus death rate in the US is far higher than that of the flu…, 30, March 2020,
Business Insider
Gershan Head
25 April 2020
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https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-compared-seasonal-flu-in-the-us-death-rates-2020-
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Gershan Head

Professor Tina Carbon

Coronavirus vs. Influenza

they affect people’s lives.

severe symptoms including death.

COVID-19 and the Flu among the communities.

there is no influenza caused pandemic currently happening.

according to Live Science.

has been currently predicted.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 vs. the Flu, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Flu vs. coronavirus mortality rate, The Washington Post

Similarities and differences – COVID-19 and Influenza, WHO

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