Today, the entire world is in the grip of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has affected millions and caused thousands of deaths. Fever, cough, body pain, and chills are all symptoms of flu, cold, as well as coronavirus. How do you then distinguish among these diseases?
Signs of COVID-19
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Fever or chills
- Headaches
- Pains and aches
- Fatigue
- Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath
Common indications of cold and flu
- Mild cough with a runny nose
- Watery eyes
- Aches and pains
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Fever and chills
- Tiredness
- Diarrhea, in case of children
Transmission of COVID-19 and the common cold
Coronavirus spreads due to person-to-person contact. The possibility of this viral infection increases if you come in contact with an infected person. Alternatively, it transmits through secretions or droplets, which an infected individual leaves on surfaces. Treating this infection may require hospitalization, and a coronavirus health insurance policy will cover hospital-related expenses.
The common cold affects the upper respiratory system, and usually, rhinovirus causes it. However, over 200 viruses may result in a cold. It is an infectious disease that spreads from one person to another and has an incubation period of one to seven days.
Distinguishing between COVID-19 and cold
| Symptoms | COVID-19 | Cold |
| Fever | Often | Rare |
| Body pains | Occasional | Common |
| Tiredness | Occasional | Mild |
| Sore throat | Occasional | Common |
| Runny nose | Infrequent | Common |
| Cough | Often a severe dry cough | Mild |
| Difficulty in breathing | Common for severely infected | No |
| Shortness of breath | Common in case of moderately and mildly infected people | No |
| Watery eyes | Infrequent | Common |
Although this comparison between coronavirus and the common cold can give you a clear idea, you must consult your physician if these signs last for long or increase in severity.
Importance of coronavirus health insurance
In most cases, your regular cashless health insurance plan should cover the treatment costs of COVID-19. It takes care of hospitalization expenses, ambulance cover, pre- and post-hospitalization costs, and in-patient treatments.
Additionally, coronavirus is an infection, and therefore, there is no waiting period. The only applicable waiting tenure is the initial 30 days from the date of procuring the medical insurance plan.
People who have good immunity recover from coronavirus quickly. However, if your symptoms are severe and you require hospitalization, you may seek cashless services from any network hospital under your COVID-19 health insurance policy. In case you take treatment from a non-network hospital, you can claim for reimbursement of the expenses, which your mediclaim insurance plan covers.
Health insurance for coronavirus can prove useful during these testing times. If you do not have an insurance policy, buy one at the earliest, and safeguard your finances.
