Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-08-13
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
Hong Kong’s Department of Health announced the official start of flu season at the end of August, with cases rising steadily since July, mainly affecting kindergartens, childcare centers, and elderly or disability care homes. Don’t underestimate the flu’s severity—late August alone saw at least 18 deaths from Influenza A. On top of that, Hong Kong has recorded over 40,000 COVID-19 cases this year, including nearly 900 fatalities. Stay vigilant and protect yourself by learning to differentiate between COVID and flu symptoms. Seek prompt medical help for targeted treatment to minimize severe risks and hospitalization. Check out our latest anti-epidemic tips below!
Symptoms and Treatments for Influenza A and COVID-19
| COVID-19 | Influenza A | |
| Symptoms | Fever, fatigue, cough, sore throat, headache, runny nose, shortness of breath, muscle pain, loss of taste/smell, red eyes, rash | Fever, fatigue, cough, sore throat, headache, runny or stuffy nose, shortness of breath, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting |
| Treatment Methods | Elderly or chronic patients need prescribed COVID-19 oral medications | Those with severe symptoms should take doctor-prescribed antiviral drugs within 48 hours of onset |
Both Influenza A and COVID-19 infections can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, thromboembolism, and/or multi-organ failure, worsening of chronic conditions, myocarditis, encephalitis; COVID-19 patients may also experience ” Long COVID “. Additionally, co-infection with COVID-19 and flu increases mortality risk by 6 times and raises chances of complications.
Doctors Use 3-in-1 Rapid Test for Accurate Diagnosis
Since symptoms of Influenza A and COVID-19 are very similar, doctors use a 3-in-1 rapid test (also known as ABC rapid test) by swabbing the patient’s nose; results in 15 minutes reveal if it’s Influenza A (A), Influenza B (B), or COVID-19 (C), making it easier to prescribe the right treatment based on the results.
Therefore, doctors recommend that people buy rapid COVID-flu tests for self-testing and inform the doctor of the results to help better understand their condition.
User Test: Rapid COVID-Flu Test Results in 15 Mins
Recently, a user reported headache and cough symptoms, used the INDICAID™ rapid antigen test for COVID-19/Influenza A & B, got a positive Influenza A result in 15 minutes, then showed it at the clinic and quickly received flu medication for treatment.
The test strip has indicators for “A”, “B”, “CoV”, with lines clearly showing different infection statuses.
| Negative Result | Positive Result | Invalid Result |
| Only “C” line | “C” line plus any “A”, “B”, or “CoV” line:
|
No “C” line |
INDICAID™ COVID-19 / Influenza A & B Rapid Antigen Test Kit
One test detects COVID-19, Influenza A, and Influenza B viruses simultaneously, with results in just 15 minutes and accuracy up to 99%, helping you plan the right treatment more precisely.
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