The present study assessed the frequency of symptoms in COVID-19 in contrast to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), influenza and common cold. The current study was aimed at determining and comparing the knowledge about the clinical features, symptoms and differences between patients with COVID-19, SARS, influenza, and common cold. This outcome of this study can aid ear, nose and throat specialists and other health practitioners to manage patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The author included biomedical databases from PubMed and MEDLINE. Statistical analysis using the Z-score test evaluated which symptoms were more characteristic of COVID-19 in contrast to other viral diseases. 

The outcome of the study showed that the most commonly encountered symptoms were cough (70%), fever (45%), muscular pain (29%), and headache (21%) among individuals with COVID-19 whereas sore throat (12%), and rhinorrhea (4%) were seen at lower rates. Fever was most commonly observed in COVID-19 (74%), manifesting at a higher rate in those cases in contrast to influenza (68%) or the common cold (40%). Sore throat was a rare occurrence in COVID-19 and SARS (12% and 18%, respectively) as compared to other viral diseases. Headache, rhinorrhea, muscular pain, and sore throat were more common in influenza (91%, 91%, 94%, and 84%, respectively) and common cold (89%, 81%, 94%, and 84%, respectively) in comparison to COVID-19 (21%, 4%, 29%, and 12%, respectively) and SARS (45%, 12%, 55%, and 18%, respectively).

Thus, the outcome of the analysis demonstrated that a more number of general symptoms prompt the diagnosis of influenza or common cold in contrast to COVID-19.

Source: Czubak J, Stolarczyk K, Orzeł A, Frączek M, Zatoński T. Comparison of the clinical differences between COVID-19, SARS, influenza, and the common cold: A systematic literature review. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2021 Jan;30(1):109-114.