COVID-19 and the flu are respiratory viruses that have similar symptoms. Flu and COVID-19 can both result in serious illness, including illness resulting in hospitalization or death. While both cause fatigue, coughing, and fever, COVID-19 can have a wide range of symptoms, including loss of smell and severe breathing problems.
According to the CDC, COVID-19 spreads more easily than flu, and may lead to more serious illness from what is currently seen in our communities. However, the data is always changing. Ultimately flu vaccines help to reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system each year.