Facts

DON’T LET COLD AND FLU CONFUSE YOU

Because of the overlap in symptoms, people often mix up cold and flu. Understand the differences between cold and flu by considering the facts.

Cold & Flu Causes	Cold	Flu
Cold & Flu Causes	The common cold is a viral infection that affects your upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). It’s generally not considered serious, and most people recover within a week or two.¹ There are over 100 viruses that can cause the common cold.	The flu is a viral infection caused by the influenza virus that affects your entire respiratory system—nose, throat and lungs.² Since these viruses constantly change, even if you’ve had the flu in the past, your body might be susceptible to a new strain this year.³

Compare Cold & Flu Symptoms^4,5	Cold	Flu
	Rare	Common
	Mild	Moderate to severe
	Rare	Common
	Slight	Common and often severe
	Less common	Common
	Common	Less common
	Common	Less Common
	Common; a hacking cough that brings up mucus	Common; a cough that gets more wet with progression.
	Mild to moderate	Often severe

Fever

Fatigue

Chills

Body aches

Headaches

Stuffy nose

Sore throat

Cough-What type

Chest Congestion

How Long Will You Be Contagious With Cold & Flu	Cold	Flu
How Long Will You Be Contagious With Cold & Flu	You are most contagious for the first 2 or 3 days after symptoms first appear. However, symptoms may continue to linger.	You are most contagious for the first 1 or 2 days before symptoms first appear and 5 to 7 days after symptoms develop.

The Bottom Line on Cold & Flu	Cold	Flu
The Bottom Line on Cold & Flu	Cold symptoms are generally less severe than those associated with the flu and develop gradually.	Flu symptoms develop quickly⁶ and can range from mild to severe, and may sometimes lead to pneumonia, bronchitis and ear infections.²

Cold	Flu
The common cold is a viral infection that affects your upper respiratory tract (nose and throat). It’s generally not considered serious, and most people recover within a week or two.¹ There are over 100 viruses that can cause the common cold.¹	The flu is a viral infection caused by the influenza virus that affects your entire respiratory system—nose, throat and lungs.² Since these viruses constantly change, even if you’ve had the flu in the past, your body might be susceptible to a new strain this year.³

Cold	Flu
Rare	Common
Mild	Moderate to severe
Rare	Common
Slight	Common and often severe
Less common	Common
Common	Less common
Common	Less common
Common; a hacking cough that brings up mucus	Common; a cough that gets more wet with progression.
Mild to moderate	Often severe