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COVID-19 vs. flu: Similarities and differences

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and seasonal flu are illnesses caused by viruses. They can spread from one person to another. Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu, also called influenza, are the same.

But COVID-19 and seasonal flu are not the same thing. Different viruses cause them. Each illness has its own treatment. And each illness can lead to different problems after recovery. You can get vaccines to help prevent serious COVID-19 and seasonal flu illnesses. But the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine are two different vaccines.