How to Differentiate Between the Common Cold and Novel Pneumonia

The common cold—often simply referred to as “a cold” or “a cold snap”—is medically known as “wind-cold invasion.” In contrast, “novel pneumonia” refers specifically to pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), officially abbreviated as “COVID-19 pneumonia.” The World Health Organization (WHO) has named this disease “Coronavirus Disease 2019” (COVID-19), denoting pneumonia resulting from infection with the 2019 novel coronavirus. So, how can one differentiate between the common cold and COVID-19 pneumonia? The following section addresses this question.

How to Differentiate Between the Common Cold and COVID-19 Pneumonia

1. Etiological Agents

The common cold occurs year-round and is not a communicable disease but rather a prevalent, self-limiting illness primarily caused by common respiratory viruses (e.g., rhinoviruses, coronaviruses other than SARS-CoV-2, adenoviruses). In contrast, COVID-19 pneumonia is a highly contagious infectious disease with well-documented epidemiological links. It is currently classified in China as a Category B notifiable infectious disease, managed with the same stringent control measures applied to Category A diseases.

2. Timing of Onset

The common cold occurs throughout the year without marked seasonality. COVID-19 pneumonia first emerged in late 2019 during winter.

3. Clinical Symptoms

Common cold symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing, rhinorrhea, low-grade fever, cough, and headache. Patients typically retain normal energy levels and appetite; prominent systemic symptoms such as severe headache or myalgia are rare. Symptoms are generally mild and often resolve spontaneously. Fever—if present—is usually absent or low-to-moderate grade, lasting only 1–3 days and responding well to antipyretics.

Clinically, COVID-19 pneumonia predominantly manifests as fever, dry cough, and fatigue. A minority of patients may also experience nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, or diarrhea. Mild cases may present solely with low-grade fever and fatigue, without radiographic evidence of pneumonia. Severe cases typically develop dyspnea or hypoxemia approximately one week after symptom onset; critically ill patients may rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), septic shock, refractory metabolic acidosis, coagulopathy, and even multi-organ failure.

The above outlines key distinctions between the common cold and COVID-19 pneumonia. We hope this information proves helpful.