Does the Coronavirus Spread Faster than the Previous Flu?
Does the Coronavirus Spread Faster than the Previous Flu?
Understanding COVID-19 vs. Flu: A Comparative Analysis
While both the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 and the flu (influenza) viruses spread in similar ways, COVID-19 has shown to be more contagious among certain populations and age groups than the flu. Additionally, COVID-19 has been observed to have more superspreading events than the flu.
Similarities and Differences Between Flu and COVID-19
Symptoms and Onset of Illness
The symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can appear at different times and have some differences. COVID-19 may cause a loss of taste or smell, and symptoms typically appear two to 14 days after exposure, compared to flu symptoms usually appearing about one to four days after exposure. COVID-19 is more contagious and spreads more quickly than the flu. Severe illness such as lung injury may be more frequent with COVID-19 than with influenza, and the mortality rate for COVID-19 also appears to be higher than that of the flu.
Technical Aspects of Spread: Basic Reproduction Number (R0)
R0 of Seasonal Flu vs. COVID-19
The basic reproduction number, denoted as R0, is a critical figure indicating the potential for a disease to spread and the rate of infection. For seasonal flu, the R0 generally ranges from 0.9 to 2.1. To put this into perspective, if there are 10 people with flu, on average, they may infect between 9 and 21 others.
Estimates for the R0 of COVID-19 vary, but it is typically pitched between 2 and 6, making it significantly more contagious. If there are 10 people with COVID-19, on average, they could infect between 20 and 60 others.
Why COVID-19 Is More Contagious
Theoretically, both flu and COVID-19 are transmitted through air and physical contact. However, the flu virus has been around humans for many years, leading to some immune responses. On the other hand, COVID-19 emerged last year and is a completely new virus. Every human on this earth is at risk since there is no previous immunity to the virus.
As a new virus with no previous protection in humans, it tends to spread faster and infect more people. This phenomenon can be attributed to the newness of the microorganism, the lack of previous immunity in the community, and sometimes the strength of the virus itself.
Despite these risks, it is crucial for individuals to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and prevent the spread of both viruses, especially during flu season. Masks and safe practices are essential, as dually contracting both the flue and the coronavirus could significantly worsen one's condition.