A few months ago, Neil Patrick Harris, his husband, and their nine-year-old twins all got sick. But, as Harris explains in a new interview, he developed one telltale COVID-19 symptom that made him realize they were likely dealing with the coronavirus.
“It happened very early [in the pandemic], like late March, early April. We were doing our best before, and I thought I had the flu, and I didn’t want to be paranoid about it,” Harris said in an interview with Today. “And then I lost my sense of taste and smell, which was a big indicator, so we holed up.”
Thankfully, he and his family now “feel great” and have recovered. “It was not pleasant, but we got through it and have antibodies and are feeling good,” he said. “We want to make sure everyone’s doing their best to slow this down every way possible, for sure.”
As Harris mentioned, there is some considerable overlap between COVID-19 and classic flu symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For instance, both illnesses can cause a fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, headaches, and a general feeling of fatigue or tiredness, the CDC says. But there are also some key differences. Although nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea tend to be common COVID-19 symptoms, those are not as common for adults with the flu. And, while COVID-19 often causes shortness of breath, that tends to be a rarer, more severe symptom of the flu.
One big difference between the two is that, as Harris experienced, the coronavirus can also cause a loss of taste or smell. In fact, research suggests that this symptom is one of the most common that people with mild bouts of COVID-19 experience. In most people, this loss is temporary. But research shows there have been cases in which people don’t fully recover their sense of taste or smell for over a month after having the coronavirus.
For what it’s worth, COVID-19 isn’t the only viral illness that can cause this symptom, so having that alone is not a guarantee that you’re specifically dealing with the coronavirus. But if you have that along with other coronavirus (or flulike) symptoms—as well as any possible exposures to other people with COVID-19—that’s a sign that it’s probably worth getting tested to see whether you have the infection. “Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis,” the CDC says.
Although Harris doesn’t mention if he and his family got tested for COVID-19 during their infection, he does mention that they have antibodies to the infection now. The tests we have now for antibodies are not the most reliable, SELF explained previously, and shouldn’t generally be used on their own to determine whether or not someone is still contagious or if they have protection against getting COVID-19 again.
Especially as we head into flu season, it’s important to do what you can to protect yourself against both that and the coronavirus. Luckily, many of the strategies that are now familiar to us in preventing the spread of COVID-19 may also help keep us from spreading the flu, experts told SELF previously. That’s why it’s crucial to keep up social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing your hands frequently to keep you as healthy as possible this fall. And, of course, get your flu vaccine.
Related:
7 Things to Know About Getting Your Flu Shot During the COVID-19 Pandemic
How to Know If You’re Dealing With Coronavirus or Allergies
No, the Coronavirus Isn’t Just a Bad Flu