More than a year ago, having a sore throat during the winter wasn’t really a cause for concern, but since the start of the pandemic, feeling the slightest bit under the weather automatically makes people wonder if they have COVID-19. It’s important to know the difference between strep throat and COVID-19 so, we put together a list of facts, symptoms, and key preventions to help keep your mind at ease.
Strep Throat vs. COVID-19
According to the CDC, Strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria (called “group A strep”). As for COVID-19, it’s a respiratory virus caused by the novel 2019 coronavirus (also referred to as “SARS-CoV-2”). It is predominantly a respiratory illness that can affect other organs.
Symptoms
Besides a sore throat, both strep throat and COVID-19 can produce many of the same symptoms, including:
- Fever
- Headache
- Body aches
- Vomiting
But there are symptoms specific to strep throat:
- Pain when swallowing
- Swollen red tonsils (in some cases, with streaks of pus or white patches)
- Tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth
- Swollen and tender lymph nodes at the front of the neck
- A rash
And to COVID-19:
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Congestion
- New loss of smell and/or taste
A Simple Test Gives Fast Results
Doctors cannot diagnose strep throat just by looking at your throat. Only a rapid strep test like, StrepAim®, can determine if group A strep is the cause of a sore throat. StrepAim® is available through Vessel Medical and provides accurate results that are easy to read. The set comes with a convenient workstation, dipsticks, disposable test tubes, sterile swabs, and positive and negative controls. All the doctor has to do is swab the patient’s throat and wait for the result.
If your interested in purchasing StrepAim® for your doctor’s office call this number: 864-548-4147
