What are the symptoms of flu in 2025

 What are the symptoms of flu in 2025

What is the difference between a common cold and the flu

Learn what a common cold and the flu are, what the differences are, and how good hygiene can help protect you and your family from the germs that cause them.

What causes cold and flu?

The common cold and flu are caused by viruses that spread from person to person. Ways you can get colds and flu include:

• breathing in tiny droplets containing the virus that are released into the air every time someone with a cold or flu sneezes, coughs, or speaks, or when they are near that person

• Touching contaminated surfaces, such as tissues used by an infected person, door handles, hand rails and telephones, and then touching your nose or eyes with your hands.

What are the symptoms of cold and flu?

What is the difference between a common cold and the flu?

It's sometimes hard to tell. Many of the symptoms are similar, and both are caused by viruses, not bacteria, which means you can't treat colds and flu with antibiotics. Cold symptoms are usually milder than those caused by flu, and they don't lead to the serious health complications that flu can.

About the common cold

The common cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract. Causes include rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, and coronavirus. Symptoms may appear within 10-12 hours of exposure.

their common symptoms

• Runny nose

• Sore or sore throat

• Cough

• Sneezing

• Low-grade fever (mostly in young children)

About the flu

There are three types of flu virus.

• Type A viruses cause most cases of human flu and disease in animals.
• Type B viruses are less common and less likely to cause serious illness.
• Type C viruses usually only cause mild flu and are rare.
• Flu symptoms are more severe than those of the common cold and may include:

Common symptoms of flu

• Sudden fever (usually 39°C or above)

• Dry cough

• Muscle stiffness

• Headache

• Sore throat

• Extreme fatigue

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (more common in children)

When does the flu spread the most?

The incubation period for flu usually lasts 1-3 days from exposure. If you have the flu infection, you can infect someone up to a day before you develop symptoms, and sometimes up to five days after symptoms appear. This means you can pass the flu on to someone else before you even know you have it.

Most people make a full recovery from flu, but it can cause complications including bronchitis, pneumonia and, in rare cases, meningitis.

Preventive measures for cold and flu

Cleanliness and hygiene in the home can help prevent colds and stop the spread of cold and flu viruses.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing

• Dispose of used tissues in a bin and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards

• If you don't have access to soap and water, use Dettol wipes or hand sanitiser

• If you don't have access to soap and water, use hand sanitiser

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitiser

• Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, especially door handles, handrails and taps

• Avoid being around people who have colds or flu

What to do when someone has a cold or the flu

Stay at home and keep away from others. Drink plenty of fluids such as water. If necessary, take ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve symptoms. Ensure high levels of hygiene.

Flu in 2025

More than five years have passed since the corona pandemic began worldwide in late 2019. Although the number of corona cases has reduced significantly at the global level, experts say that it cannot be ignored at all. All viruses keep mutating naturally to survive, due to which the risks of new variants of corona in the future cannot be ignored.

In recent reports, health experts say that within five years, the risk of another pandemic after corona is being seen increasing all over the world. This time the virus about which concern is being raised is - Bird Flu (H5A1). In the last few months, not only have the cases of bird flu increased rapidly in many countries including US-UK, but the health complications caused by it have also increased the pressure on the health sector. In such a situation, the question arises whether we may have to face another pandemic in the coming days?

Discussion on HMPV cases in China

There have been discussions on many media reports and social media about the growing threat of a "new epidemic" in China.

Some posts are claiming that hospitals and crematoriums are again seen packed. People are being found to be victims of viruses like Influenza A, Mycoplasma Pneumonia and HMPV (Human Metapneumovirus).

However, neither the Chinese government nor the World Health Organization (WAO) has issued any alert or given any official information regarding this.

Apart from this, the complications caused by the H5A1 virus are definitely being considered worrying.

Global health experts say that the way new strains of this virus are being seen and the way bird flu is spreading is definitely worrying.

Why is bird flu considered so dangerous?

The information that has come out about bird flu in the last few months has put the risk of 'pandemic' in people's minds. Many people, from children to adults, have seen serious complications due to bird flu. In Canada, a teenager who was a victim of this infectious disease had so many complications that she had to be put on life support system.

Dr. Megan Rainey, Dean of Yale School of Public Health, said in a report, "Many such cases have been seen in which bird flu infection has increased serious complications. Special caution and in-depth discussion is needed about this virus because it can have the potential of a potential pandemic."

In recent months, the bird flu virus has been found in many food items. The virus has been confirmed in cows and raw milk at many places, due to which experts have expressed concern that this virus can spread rapidly and in large numbers. According to officials, bird flu infection has not been confirmed in any person due to milk so far, however it cannot be ignored. According to some reports, cases of brain damage and death have been seen in some cats due to drinking raw milk, which has increased the concern even more.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

A.Will getting the flu jab when I'm pregnant affect my baby?

Ans.- If you get flu when you're pregnant, you can get very sick, which can be bad for your baby. What's more, getting the jab at any time during pregnancy will help protect your baby from flu during the first few months after birth.

B.Will going outside with wet hair or wet clothes cause cold?

Ans.- But unless you come into contact with someone who has a cold or the flu, or you come into contact with a contaminated surface or food, you won't catch a cold. You'll just feel cold, but will be perfectly healthy.

C. What is the main reason for the spread of flu?

Ans.- The flu is caused by the influenza virus. Most people get the flu when they breathe in tiny airborne droplets that are coughed or sneezed by someone with the flu. You can also get the flu if you touch something that has the virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes.