Do I have flu or COVID? What SC residents should know as cases spike

Patrick McCreless
Contributed photo

Flu and COVID-19 cases keep growing in South Carolina with no signs of stopping soon.

And as more people huddle together to wait out the impending freezing temperatures over the Christmas holiday weekend, the chances of spreading flu and COVID increase.

South Carolina’s latest flu season has already turned out to be the worst in years, health officials have said.

There were 41,214 total flu cases reported in the state as of Dec. 17, according to the latest statistics from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. That’s 10.9% higher than the 3,761 total flu cases reported by the same point last year.

There have also been 57 flu-related deaths so far this season, up from just the two deaths reported a year ago.

COVID cases have surged in the state along with the flu, with 7,999 cases reported the week of Dec. 17, a 15.1% jump over the previous week, DHEC statistics show. Also, 23 COVID-related deaths were reported for the week, a 9.5% increase over the previous week.

How can you tell the difference between having flu or COVID?

Many of the symptoms of COVID-19 and flu overlap, making it difficult to tell the difference between the two viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both are contagious, respiratory diseases but compared with flu, COVID-19 can cause more severe illness in some people, the CDC states. Also, COVID-19 may take longer to show symptoms and may be contagious for longer than the flu.

Flu and COVID-19 can cause similar symptoms like:

  • Cough

  • Headache

  • Fever

  • Sore throat

  • Runny or stuffy nose

  • Muscle pain

  • Vomiting

  • Fatigue

  • Change in or loss of taste or smell

Differences between COVID-19 and flu

If a person has COVID-19, it could take longer for them to experience symptoms than if they have the flu. A person with the flu may experience symptoms from one to four days after infection. For COVID-19, symptoms may appear from two to five days after infection and even up to 14 days afterward.

Most people who get the flu will recover on their own in a few days to two weeks, but some will experience severe complications that require hospitalization. Additional complications associated with COVID-19 can include blood clots in the veins and arteries of the lungs, heart, legs or brain. Also, anyone who has had COVID-19, even if they had mild or no symptoms, can experience post-COVID conditions that can last weeks or months after infection, the CDC states.

Both COVID-19 and flu can cause severe illness and complications, particularly in older adults, people with certain medical conditions and those who are pregnant. However, overall, COVID-19 seems to cause more severe illness in some people. Severe COVID-19 illness that requires hospitalization and death can occur even in healthy people, the CDC states.

What to do

If you think you or a loved one has COVID, there are still free tests available from the federal government, which can be ordered here.

Flu shots and COVID-19 vaccinations are available to anyone 6 months and older, DHEC states. Both take about two weeks to reach maximum effectiveness.

Visit DHEC’s vaccine pages on COVID-19 and flu for more information on where to find other places offering shots.

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