Covid19 vs Flu: personal impact and effects of the 2 vaccines

[GPX | 1,415]

Hi fellow pandemic watchers, I’m interested to find out some answers regarding the differences between Covid19 and the flu. More specifically, these 2 main questions:

- the personal impacts (if any) the Covid19 has made relative to the typical flu you have had in the past?

- the personal effects (if any) of the Covid19 vaccine relative to the personal effects of past flu vaccines?

Hopefully, the poll here might give us a more relative understanding of the pandemic situation. Particularly to the age demographics between 15-60. Any further comments certainly welcome!

Edited March 21, 2021 by GPX

[GPX | 1,415]

For the record, I’ve witnessed over a dozen Covid19-affected. All range between 20 to 50 of age, and symptom severity between mild flu to severe flu up to 2 weeks of duration. I have not had either the Covid19 or its  vaccine as yet, but hopefully will get the first jab over the coming weeks. And will report in the poll thereafter.

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

As far as I know, I was never infected with COVID, although I was exposed dozens of times at work. I was fortunate enough to receive the two-dose Pfizer vaccine in January and had absolutely no side effects. About 1/3 of people I know reported some flu like symptoms for about 24 hours after the second dose, but I didn't hear of any reactions to the first dose.

Bottom line? You should definitely get any of the three vaccines that are offered in America as soon as you have the opportunity. They are all amazingly effective at preventing severe illness.

[GPX | 1,415]

1 hour ago, DoctorEncore said:

As far as I know, I was never infected with COVID, although I was exposed dozens of times at work. I was fortunate enough to receive the two-dose Pfizer vaccine in January and had absolutely no side effects. About 1/3 of people I know reported some flu like symptoms for about 24 hours after the second dose, but I didn't hear of any reactions to the first dose.

Bottom line? You should definitely get any of the three vaccines that are offered in America as soon as you have the opportunity. They are all amazingly effective at preventing severe illness.

It’ll be interesting to see how the poll progresses and whether it’s similar to your current observations or consistent with medical research/surveillance. Here in Australia there are currently 2 available, Pfizer and AstraZeneca. The rollout of vaccines is rather slow and reserved compared with the US.

I’m guessing people would need to complete 2 doses to get a better understanding of the full effects of the vaccine, so not expecting many poll voters as yet. 

[Tulpa | 3,723]

53 minutes ago, GPX said:

 

I’m guessing people need to complete 2 doses to get a better understanding of the full effects of the vaccine, so not expecting many poll voters as yet. 

There's also a vaccine from Johnson and Johnson that is one dose. It came along a little later.

The AstraZenica one seems to have issues.

[B.A. | 1,141]

There are also lots of people who caught covid and it affected them less than the flu. Especially the younger demographic.

[GPX | 1,415]

18 minutes ago, B.A. said:

There are also lots of people who caught covid and it affected them less than the flu. Especially the younger demographic.

For all intents and purposes, if there is minimal effect then this would fit in the poll “feels similar to me”, where a basic flu is from minimal symptoms to a few days of cough/runny nose/sore throat. 

[B.A. | 1,141]

I guess I have had worse flu's than you. What you are describing is a cold.

Edited March 21, 2021 by B.A.

[GPX | 1,415]

48 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

There's also a vaccine from Johnson and Johnson that is one dose. It came along a little later.

The AstraZenica one seems to have issues.

I think the reality is that the full side effects of all the types of vaccines won’t be known until a few months later, once the majority of people have been vaccinated (hopefully). Some effects are immediate but there may be latent effects which may take some months to become obvious.

[OptOut | 9,034]

1 hour ago, GPX said:

I think the reality is that the full side effects of all the types of vaccines won’t be known until a few months later, once the majority of people have been vaccinated (hopefully). Some effects are immediate but there may be latent effects which may take some months to become obvious.

[GPX | 1,415]

3 hours ago, B.A. said:

I guess I have had worse flu's than you. What you are describing is a cold.

Flu strains comes in many guises, and how it affects individuals all differ. But basically, "a cold" is indeed a mild form of the flu. The severe forms, particularly with general aches/fevers, we tend to refer to it as "flu" rather than "a cold". This thread isn't about the technical terminologies though, but more of a general feel of how it differs to individuals who has had both flus and Covid19, and the vaccines to both.

[GPX | 1,415]

2 hours ago, OptOut said:

[I hope not]

Edited March 21, 2021 by GPX

[B.A. | 1,141]

1 hour ago, GPX said:

Flu strains comes in many guises, and how it affects individuals all differ. But basically, "a cold" is indeed a mild form of the flu. The severe forms, particularly with general aches/fevers, we tend to refer to it as "flu" rather than "a cold". This thread isn't about the technical terminologies though, but more of a general feel of how it differs to individuals who has had both flus and Covid19, and the vaccines to both.

But you are being disingenuous if you don't allow for the fact that people do test positive for covid with no symptoms. In addition, assuredly there are an unknown number of people who were infected with covid but never felt the need to get tested.   Your assumption that everyone who has been infected with covid has experienced symptoms equal to what would be considered the flu OR worse, is flawed. 

[GPX | 1,415]

1 hour ago, B.A. said:

But you are being disingenuous if you don't allow for the fact that people do test positive for covid with no symptoms. In addition, assuredly there are an unknown number of people who were infected with covid but never felt the need to get tested.   Your assumption that everyone who has been infected with covid has experienced symptoms equal to what would be considered the flu OR worse, is flawed. 

Ok fine, you win BA! Poll edited with additional options.

You make a good point, but remember this is a relative perception poll. This is not precise science.

Also regarding the flu itself, how often might you or others have had it with minimal to nil symptoms, and therefore you never bothered to seek a doctor or to get swab tests? Not simple to answer right?

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,043]

4 hours ago, B.A. said:

But you are being disingenuous if you don't allow for the fact that people do test positive for covid with no symptoms. In addition, assuredly there are an unknown number of people who were infected with covid but never felt the need to get tested.   Your assumption that everyone who has been infected with covid has experienced symptoms equal to what would be considered the flu OR worse, is flawed. 

Also covid is more contagious than the flu. I got sick last year from a cold and it was equal to or worse than any flu I ever had. It took me weeks to recover. 

That's to say, how the hell do most people even know they have the flu? I would've sworn I had the flu and would've maintained I had it if I wouldn't have went to the doctor

I just feel like people are effect people in such different ways that any anecdotal evidence isn't even useful. 

[LostLevel83 | 87]

Can’t participate in the poll because the first part doesn’t have an option for not having the virus.

I did get the Moderna two-shot vaccine in January. First shot brought shoulder soreness for a couple days. Second shot brought some symptoms similar to the flu for an evening and that was it.

[Richardhead | 2,925]

I don’t get “sick” very often, but covid kicked my ass and so did that vaccine. 8 hours after the shot I felt worse than I have ever felt. It did however only last like 16 hours. The covid however, had me beat for a good 2 weeks. 

[ThePhleo | 2,276]

I've only had the flu once in my life as a early teenager. I remember my cousin and I caught it at my Grandmother's house.

Basically I remember we didn't feel good, had high fevers and fell asleep at my grandmothers house. I briefly remember waking up at my aunt's house in a haze, and then finally coming to a full wake in my bed at home. No idea how I ended up there or anything in between.

When I recovered a couple days later, I found out that my cousin had nearly died from a 104+ fever and she overdosed on tylenol that had destroyed her liver...I vaguely remember that she lost something like half of it? I don't exactly remember the specifics of everything...it was THAT bad.

She since recovered and is doing fine though!

 

...In contrast to that.

We had COVID a little bit ago. I never made a post about it, because it was not really a noteworthy experience and I didn't want to downplay the severity of the world changing plague going on.

Basically we just had what I would call "really bad headcolds" but nothing near what I experienced with the flu. Also, I guess we're skipping the vaccine because we already had the actual disease.

It sort of felt good knowing we're "safe" now too, my wife and I got back home last week from Orlando. We spent a week there and visited Disney World, and Universal Studios...along with what seemed to be 100,000+ other people. If anything, it made us feel like things were back to normal, albeit with everyone wearing masks and hand sanitizer being given out like it was air.

[Strange | 1,731]

COVID was so much worse than every time I’ve had the flu. I’m in my late 20s. My parents are in their 60s and they had it not nearly as bad as I did. Go figure.

Not a friend of mine, but a friend of a friend who went to school with me died of COVID. Same age range and student athlete. We want to believe COVID follows some established trend and never deviates but the reality is it affects everyone differently. Back when I lived in Nashville (moved away a month ago) our local news channel reported the death of a 7 year old boy due to COVID. You don’t know how you’ll handle it regardless of age and health so it makes sense to just be cautious.

[Tulpa | 3,723]

23 minutes ago, Strange said:

We want to believe COVID follows some established trend and never deviates but the reality is it affects everyone differently. Back when I lived in Nashville (moved away a month ago) our local news channel reported the death of a 7 year old boy due to COVID. You don’t know how you’ll handle it regardless of age and health so it makes sense to just be cautious.

That's why it steams me when people were saying "just isolate the vulnerable." A lot more people are vulnerable than you'd think.

[GPX | 1,415]

7 hours ago, LostLevel83 said:

Can’t participate in the poll because the first part doesn’t have an option for not having the virus.

I did get the Moderna two-shot vaccine in January. First shot brought shoulder soreness for a couple days. Second shot brought some symptoms similar to the flu for an evening and that was it.

You are still welcome to participate in the second part of the poll.  Thanks for the response!

[GPX | 1,415]

8 hours ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

Also covid is more contagious than the flu. I got sick last year from a cold and it was equal to or worse than any flu I ever had. It took me weeks to recover. 

That's to say, how the hell do most people even know they have the flu? I would've sworn I had the flu and would've maintained I had it if I wouldn't have went to the doctor

I just feel like people are effect people in such different ways that any anecdotal evidence isn't even useful. 

Your “cold” may well have been also something else like sinusitis or laryngitis. All different conditions but unless you get yourself a checkup, I can imagine most people would either self-diagnose as either a “cold” or a “flu”. Even if you do get a checkup, sometimes even doctors might not be able to tell unless further swab tests. 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,043]

1 hour ago, GPX said:

Your “cold” may well have been also something else like sinusitis or laryngitis. All different conditions but unless you get yourself a checkup, I can imagine most people would either self-diagnose as either a “cold” or a “flu”. Even if you do get a checkup, sometimes even doctors might not be able to tell unless further swab tests. 

You never know but I am around a gang of kids all day that had the same thing so I would imagine someone would've came back with the flu.

Being a teacher I swear i always know who gets me sick lol but it was a real problem bc it went around between the kids since they all share a vape everytime they go to the bathroom or the locker room. 

But those steroids the doc gave me had me feeling better immediately. There was just a long road to recovery.