One of my credentials is a pandemic response instructor (more accurately, I am what is referred to as a "train the trainer") and can help answer this question. It's a good one, by the way, I wish more people would ask it!

THE FLU: The symptoms of influenza are pretty consistent across the board.

--Sudden onset. The virus incubates for 3 to 5 days and the explodes. The onset is sudden and without warning for a severe to moderate case of the flu.

--high fever. Within an our of the sudden onset, a fever over 101 will normally be measured.

--body aches. You will hurt all over. Like you just ran 5 miles in the cold hurt. This will also set in within a short time after initial symptom onset.

--respiratory ailments such as a terrible cough and non stop runny nose. Influenza will primarily affect the respiratory system. A wet productive cough will begin soon after onset of active symptoms.

So, to recap, sudden onset, high fever, body aches and a cough. Pretty nasty stuff. Personally, I had a severe case and was even listed by the CDC. I can tell you that NEVER again will I ever say, "meh, I had the flu last night". This bug damn near killed me!

Next: Coronavirus/ Covid-19

There are some differences and some similarities. The similarities are the sudden onset, high fever and body aches. The differences are this (so far as I have been told, and this could change as both new information becomes available and/or a significant mutation happens)

--painful body aches. As in really painful to move, not just sore and achey. If you ever knew anyone who had the swine flu, the reports I have seen are similar in description to that. Basically, you will be so sore and your skin so sensitive that even the seams of your softest clothing rubbing against you will hurt.

--this is not JUST a respiratory illness, it becomes hard to take in a breath. The sudden pneumonia (lungs filling up with fluid) causes a sort of shock reaction and your brochial tubes swell and spasm like an asthma attack. This is in addition to a terrible cough. It becomes physically difficult to breathe. This is very different from just having a bad cough.

This has a secondary effect of causing the body to go into panic mode to increase breathing. With the lungs reacting poorly and pneumonia setting in as quickly as it does with this damn bug, a panic reaction can case all sorts of issues including fainting. The videos of people dropping in the streets in China are, by my guess, a side effect of this reaction.

This cannot be understated, IF, capital "I" capital "F", IF you get a severe case, breathing assistance will be needed! Most likely a thoracentesis (physically draining your lungs) will be included.

Now that the horror show has been described, here are some simple preventative measures to take:

--Wash your hands. Dry them with disposable items.

--Keep used tissues in a separate waste container. Empty it often and disinfect the area around it.

--Cough into a sleeve or a towel, not your hands.

--Keep your personal spaces clean, especially areas that come into common contact with hands, cough and sneeze droplets, etc. such as door handles, countertops, food prep areas and the like. Use a disinfectant soap or bleach solution to wipe the surfaces down and again, use disposable wipes to do so.

--Something called "social distance" should be followed. Basically, keep a 5 to 6 foot (or two meter) distance between you and other people. This minimizes contact with airborne particulates.

--If you get sick, whether or not it's Covid-19 or the cold, wear a mask.

**Pro tip, when washing your hands in a public restroom, dry them using a paper towel and use that same towel (or another one, I don't care) to pull open the door handle. This is a good tip at any time to prevent coming into contact with an obvious infection point.

Anyway, I hope this helps. As I am typing furiously on my phone to get this out, I claim responsibility for crummy typos and misspellings.