Does my kid have COVID-19 or just a cold? A pediatric nurse explains how to tell – and why it matters

A primary care pediatric nurse practitioner lays out how to tell apart the season's four big respiratory bugs: colds resolve in 7-10 days, COVID-19 can linger 7-14 days or longer and often brings stomach symptoms, flu hits fast and hard over 3-7 days, and RSV can be especially dangerous for infants. She recommends keeping symptomatic kids home to protect vulnerable classmates and staff, and notes the CDC advises retesting 48 hours after a negative COVID test if symptoms persist.

The piece also cites American Academy of Pediatrics guidance recommending COVID and flu vaccines for children over six months, and RSV vaccination for infants meeting certain criteria, while acknowledging vaccinated kids can still get infected.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.