Is it a cold, flu, or COVID this winter? Cold vs flu vs COVID explained with symptom comparison and medical guidance.

Colds, influenza, and COVID-19 are respiratory viral infections with overlapping symptoms but different risk profiles and recovery patterns. This episode explains how to distinguish them based on symptom onset, severity, and warning signs.

You will learn:

• Typical symptoms of the common cold (mild congestion, sore throat, gradual onset)

• Key influenza features (sudden fever, body aches, fatigue)

• Common COVID-19 symptoms and variability

• Differences in contagiousness and recovery time

• When testing may be appropriate

• When medical evaluation is necessary (persistent high fever, chest pain, breathing difficulty, confusion, dehydration, high-risk conditions)