Last updated: October 2026
A cold builds gradually over a couple of days and mostly affects your nose and throat, so you feel rough but can usually carry on. Flu hits suddenly, within hours, with a high temperature, aching body and exhaustion that stops you in your tracks. Both are caused by viruses, so antibiotics won’t help either.
Below: a cold vs flu vs COVID-19 table, how long each lasts, how to recover faster, which remedies work, and when to get help.
Cold vs flu vs COVID-19: symptoms table
All three circulate together in autumn and winter. Here’s how they usually compare, based on the NHS symptom pages.
| Symptom | Cold | Flu | COVID-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it starts | Gradually, over 2 to 3 days | Suddenly, within a few hours | Varies: some people have cold-like symptoms, others feel more like flu |
| High temperature | Sometimes | Common, and sudden | Common |
| Aches | Sometimes, usually mild | Common: an aching body | Common |
| Tiredness | Feel unwell but can usually carry on | Exhausted and too unwell for normal activities | Common |
| Blocked or runny nose, sneezing | The main symptoms | Not a main symptom | Can happen |
| Cough | Common | Common, usually dry | A new, continuous cough is a key sign |
| Sore throat | Common, often with a hoarse voice | Common | Can happen |
| Loss or change of smell or taste | Sometimes | Not a main symptom | Can happen |
| How long it lasts | Feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks | Most people feel better within a week, but a cough and tiredness can linger for weeks | Most people feel better within a few weeks; some take longer |
Flu also often brings a headache, and COVID-19 can cause shortness of breath, diarrhoea or feeling sick. Symptoms overlap, so it isn’t always possible to tell them apart.
How to tell if it’s a cold or flu
Ask yourself three questions:
- How fast did it come on? A cold builds over a couple of days. Flu can go from fine to floored in a few hours.
- Where is it? A cold stays mainly in your nose and throat. Flu hits your whole body with fever and aches.
- Could you go to work? With a cold, most people can carry on. With flu, you’re usually too exhausted.
Either way, if you have a high temperature or don’t feel well enough for normal activities, the NHS says stay at home and avoid other people until you feel better.
How long do a cold and flu last, and how long are you contagious?
| How long it lasts | How long you’re contagious | |
|---|---|---|
| Cold | About 1 to 2 weeks | Until all your symptoms have gone, usually 1 to 2 weeks (longer in young children) |
| Flu | Most people feel better within a week; tiredness and a cough can linger for weeks | Most likely to pass it on in the first 5 days |
| COVID-19 | Most people feel better within a few weeks | After a positive test, stay at home for 5 days (3 if under 18) and avoid people at higher risk for 10 days |
Cold and flu germs can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours, so wash your hands often, catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue and bin it straight away.
Still exhausted weeks later? If it doesn’t lift, see why you might always feel tired and feeling tired in winter, and speak to your GP.
How to get over a cold faster
Honestly? There’s no way to get rid of a cold in 24 hours or overnight. Colds and flu are viruses that run their course. What you can do is ease the symptoms and give your body the best chance to recover. The NHS advice:
- Rest and sleep. If a blocked nose keeps you awake, see how to sleep with a cold for positions and bedtime tips.
- Drink plenty of fluids. For flu, the NHS says your pee should be light yellow or clear. See how much water you should drink.
- Eat healthy food when you can.
- Try a warm lemon and honey drink, or a soothing caffeine-free tea such as chamomile.
- Gargle with salt water for a sore throat (adults only).
- Breathe in steam for a blocked nose, for example in a hot shower.
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for aches and a high temperature, following the leaflet.
- Don’t smoke, as it can make symptoms worse.
A pharmacist can suggest decongestants and remedies that suit you and check them against medicines you already take.
What doesn’t work: antibiotics. GPs don’t recommend them for colds or flu because antibiotics don’t work on viruses.
Vitamin C, zinc, honey and echinacea: the evidence
Here’s what the best reviews found for the most popular remedies. No supplement or remedy cures a cold.
| Remedy | What the evidence shows | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | A 2013 Cochrane review (11,306 people) found daily use didn’t stop most people catching colds, but made colds about 8% shorter in adults (roughly half a day in a week-long cold). Starting it once a cold began showed no consistent effect. | Small effect, only if taken regularly beforehand |
| Zinc | A 2024 Cochrane review (34 studies) found zinc may do little or nothing to prevent colds. Taken once a cold starts, it may shorten it by around 2 days, but the evidence is low certainty and mild side effects were more common. | Possible small effect; uncertain |
| Honey | An Oxford review of 14 studies found honey eased cough frequency and severity compared with usual care. A 2018 Cochrane review in children aged 1 and over agreed. | Reasonable for a cough (never for babies under 1) |
| Echinacea | A 2014 Cochrane review of 24 trials found no clear benefit for treating colds, and at most a weak preventive effect. | Not shown to help |
The NHS says there’s little evidence that vitamin C, echinacea or garlic prevent colds or speed up recovery. For the bigger picture, see how to support your immune system and what doesn’t work, and for how the two minerals differ, magnesium vs zinc.
Cold and flu medicines: using them safely
Cold and flu products often share the same few ingredients. A few rules keep you safe:
- Don’t double up on paracetamol. Many cold and flu remedies already contain it, so taking extra makes it easy to go over the safe dose.
- Use one decongestant at a time. Don’t combine two nasal sprays, or a spray with tablets.
- Nasal sprays and drops: no more than 5 days at a time.
- High blood pressure: check with a pharmacist or GP before taking a decongestant, as you should with diabetes, heart, thyroid, liver or kidney problems, glaucoma or other medicines.
- Pregnant: only use decongestants if a healthcare professional advises it, and ask a pharmacist before any cold medicine.
- Breastfeeding: decongestant tablets, liquids and powders aren’t recommended. Some nasal sprays may be fine, but ask a pharmacist first.
Colds and flu in children
Young children can stay infectious with a cold for longer than adults, and may be irritable, struggle to feed and sleep, or vomit after coughing. Children with flu can also have ear pain and swollen glands, and seem less active.
Safety first:
- Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help a distressed child with a high temperature. Check the leaflet for the right medicine and dose for their age, or ask a pharmacist.
- Never give aspirin to anyone under 16.
- Don’t give decongestants to children under 6. For 6 to 11 year olds, ask a pharmacist first.
- Don’t give honey to babies under 12 months, or hot drinks to small children.
- No steam bowls for children: they can scald.
- Keep them drinking and watch for dehydration, such as fewer wet nappies.
Call 111 if a baby under 3 months has a temperature of 38C or more, a baby aged 3 to 6 months has 39C or more, a fever has lasted 5 days, or you’re worried. Call 999 for a rash that doesn’t fade under a glass, a stiff neck, difficulty breathing, blue or grey lips, or a child who is hard to wake.
All Evopure products are for adults (18+) only.
When to see a GP or call 111 or 999
Most colds and flu get better on their own. Get help if:
See a GP if you have a cold and:
- you have a high temperature for more than 3 days, or feel hot and shivery, or symptoms get worse
- you feel short of breath or have chest pain
- your symptoms haven’t improved after 10 days, or a cough has lasted more than 3 weeks
- you have a long-term medical condition or a weakened immune system
Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if you have flu symptoms and:
- you’re 65 or over, pregnant or have recently given birth
- you have a long-term condition or a weakened immune system
- you feel very unwell or short of breath
- your symptoms haven’t improved after 7 days
A doctor may offer antiviral medicine to some people at higher risk.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have:
- sudden chest pain
- severe difficulty breathing, such as gasping, choking or not being able to finish sentences
- coughing up blood
- collapsed or fainted
The flu vaccine this autumn: who can get it free
The NHS advises getting the flu jab as soon as you can (it doesn’t protect against colds). For winter 2026 to 2027 it’s free for adults who are:
- aged 65 or over, including those who’ll be 65 by 31 March 2027
- aged 18 to 64 with certain long-term health conditions
- pregnant, or living in a care home
- the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive Carer’s Allowance
- living with someone who has a weakened immune system
- aged 16 or over and sleeping rough or in a hostel or night shelter
- frontline health and social care workers (through their employer)
Children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2026, school children from reception to year 11, and children from 6 months with certain long-term conditions are offered it too, usually as a nasal spray. Adults can book online, in the NHS App, at a pharmacy or through their GP, up to 31 March 2027.
More ideas for staying well in our winter wellness guide.
Vitamin D in winter
Between October and early March, UK sunlight isn’t strong enough to make the vitamin D you need, so the NHS says everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, should consider a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D in autumn and winter. Don’t take more than 100 micrograms a day. Read more in how much vitamin D to take in winter and vitamin D deficiency symptoms.
Vitamin D isn’t a cold or flu remedy, and no supplement cures a cold. Take it because the NHS advises it for everyone in winter.
If you already use CBD oil, our Evolabs Mint CBD Oil with vitamin D3 combines broad spectrum CBD with 5 micrograms of vegan, algae-based vitamin D3 per half pipette. Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system. The CBD itself has no authorised health claims, and we make no claim that this oil prevents or treats colds or flu. Read why we added algae-based D3 and our CBD dosage guide.
It’s for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding; take a plain vitamin D supplement instead.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
Related guides
- A runny or blocked nose that lasts for weeks with no fever is more likely to be an allergy; see our guide to dust mite allergy symptoms.
- Wondering whether to reach for supplements? See does vitamin C help colds?
- Zinc for colds, including lozenge doses and side effects.
FAQs
How can I tell if I have a cold or flu?
A cold comes on gradually and mainly affects your nose and throat. Flu starts suddenly, within hours, with a high temperature, aches and exhaustion.
How long does a cold last?
Most people feel better in about 1 to 2 weeks. See a GP if it hasn’t improved after 10 days.
How long are you contagious with a cold or flu?
With a cold you’re infectious until all your symptoms have gone, usually 1 to 2 weeks. With flu, you’re most likely to pass it on in the first 5 days.
Can you get rid of a cold in 24 hours?
No. A cold is a virus that has to run its course. Rest, fluids, painkillers and steam ease symptoms, but nothing cures a cold overnight.
Do antibiotics help a cold or flu?
No. Colds and flu are caused by viruses, and antibiotics don’t work on viruses.
Can I take cold and flu tablets with paracetamol?
Check the label. Many cold and flu remedies already contain paracetamol, so taking more can take you over the safe dose.
Sources
- NHS. Common cold.
- NHS. Flu.
- NHS. COVID-19 symptoms and what to do.
- NHS inform. Flu.
- UKHSA. Do I have flu, COVID-19 or a cold? Know the signs and symptoms.
- NHS. Decongestants.
- NHS. High temperature (fever) in children.
- NHS. Flu vaccine and Children’s flu vaccine.
- NHS. Vitamin D.
- Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2013.
- Nault D, et al. Zinc for prevention and treatment of the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2024.
- Abuelgasim H, et al. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections. BMJ Evid Based Med, 2021.
- Oduwole O, et al. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018.
- Karsch-Völk M, et al. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2014.
- FSA. Cannabidiol (CBD) guidance.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Evolabs Mint CBD Oil with vitamin D3.
