Influenza, COVID-19, RSV: different viruses, similar symptoms
KRISTIN, THE SOONER YOU TEST, THE BETTER. THE SOONER YOU TEST. THE BETTER, FOR SURE. THAT WAY YOU’RE ABLE TO TREAT WHICH VIRUS YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SOME CLINICAL LAPSES DOING THE TESTING. IT’S ONE TEST FOR THREE VIRUSES LIKE FLU, COVID AND RSV. WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT VIRUSES? WELL, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ALL THREE VIRUSES APPEAR VERY SIMILARLY IN PATIENTS. SO IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO SOMETIMES DETERMINE WHICH VIRUS YOU HAVE. WHAT’S THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, OF KNOWING SPECIFICALLY WHICH VIRUS IT IS SO THAT YOU CAN ISOLATE YOURSELF EARLY AND ALSO THE TREATMENTS, IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR EACH NURSE PRACTITIONER. SARAH DAVIS SAYS WITH COVID AND THE FLU, YOU’LL LIKELY HAVE A FEVER, HEADACHES AND BODY ACHES, SHE SAID. WITH RSV OR REALLY BAD COUGH. ACCORDING TO THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES, THE POSITIVE RATE FOR THE FLU IS 25%. OVERALL ACTIVITY REMAINS HIGH FOR RSV AND. 947 IS THE COVID SEVEN DAY AVERAGE. DO YOU THINK THAT WE HAVE HIT THE PEAK? IT’S MOST LIKELY GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE BETTER. DAVIS RECOMMENDS HAND-WASHING WEARING A MASK IN CROWDED PLACES AND TRYING TO KEEP THE GATHERINGS SMALL, IF NOT FOR YOU. FOR OTHERS, THEY HIT THE VERY YOUNG AND THE ELDERLY MORE FREQUENTLY AND HARDER. AND KRISTIN IS BACK WITH US. KRISTIN, HOW RELIABLE IS THE TEST? DAVIS SAID THAT THIS TEST IS 99.9% ACCURATE AND RESULTS FROM SUMMIT CLINICAL LABS ARE EXPECTED IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO FIND OUT IF THE TEST IS COVERED
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Influenza, COVID-19, RSV: different viruses, similar symptoms
Health experts say better treatment when testing sooner
Updated: 10:21 PM CST Dec 5, 2022
Health experts say the flu, COVID-19 and RSV can appear very similar in patients, which makes it difficult to determine which virus you have. The best way to determine what virus you should be treating is to get tested. Summit Clinical Labs has a testing option to test for all three viruses within one test. They said patients should expect results in less than 24 hours. The sooner you test, the better. “You can isolate yourself early and also the treatments are going to be different for each,” said Sarah Davis, nurse practitioner consultant for Summit Clinical Labs. Davis said with COVID-19 and the flu, you’ll likely have a fever, headaches and body aches. She said with RSV, children, in particular, may experience a really bad cough. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the positivity rate for influenza is 25%, overall activity remains high for RSV and 947 is the COVID-19 seven-day average. “It’s most likely going to get worse before better,” Davis said. “They hit the young and elderly more frequently and harder.”Davis recommends washing your hands, wearing a mask in crowded places and trying to keep gatherings small in addition to testing if you’re sick. “Make sure that you’re testing so that you’re not spreading some of these potentially deadly illnesses.” For testing information: Covid-19 PCR Testing | Summit Clinical Laboratories, LLC | Wisconsin (summitclinicallabs.com)
Health experts say the flu, COVID-19 and RSV can appear very similar in patients, which makes it difficult to determine which virus you have.
The best way to determine what virus you should be treating is to get tested. Summit Clinical Labs has a testing option to test for all three viruses within one test. They said patients should expect results in less than 24 hours.
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The sooner you test, the better.
“You can isolate yourself early and also the treatments are going to be different for each,” said Sarah Davis, nurse practitioner consultant for Summit Clinical Labs.
Davis said with COVID-19 and the flu, you’ll likely have a fever, headaches and body aches. She said with RSV, children, in particular, may experience a really bad cough.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the positivity rate for influenza is 25%, overall activity remains high for RSV and 947 is the COVID-19 seven-day average.
“It’s most likely going to get worse before better,” Davis said. “They hit the young and elderly more frequently and harder.”
Davis recommends washing your hands, wearing a mask in crowded places and trying to keep gatherings small in addition to testing if you’re sick.
“Make sure that you’re testing so that you’re not spreading some of these potentially deadly illnesses.”
For testing information:
Covid-19 PCR Testing | Summit Clinical Laboratories, LLC | Wisconsin (summitclinicallabs.com)
