Everything You Need to Know About the Flu

In a typical year, flu season occurs from fall to early spring — and with it comes sniffling, sneezing, coughing, fatigue, and all the familiar trappings of the flu.

The severity of the illness varies by person, but the COVID-19 pandemic lends a new urgency to protecting ourselves while both of these viruses surge in the coming months.

Flu shots are always important, but they’re even more important this year to protect the population, and especially vulnerable groups, from getting flu while COVID-19 is still a threat.

What’s the difference between a cold and the flu?

The common cold and the flu may seem similar at first. They’re both respiratory illnesses and can cause similar symptoms. But different viruses cause these two conditions.

Your symptoms can help you tell the difference between them.

Both a cold and the flu share a few common symptoms. People with either illness often experience:

• runny or stuffy nose
• sneezing
• body aches
• general fatigue

As a rule, flu symptoms are more severe than cold symptoms.

Another distinct difference between the two is how serious they are. Colds rarely cause other health conditions or problems. But the flu can lead to:

• sinusitis
• ear infections
• pneumonia
• Sepsis

If your symptoms are severe, you may want to confirm either a cold or flu diagnosis. Your doctor will run tests that can help determine what’s behind your symptoms.

During the COVID-19 epidemic, call ahead for the protocol on visiting a doctor in person or having a online visit.

Cold and flu symptoms should also be treated with care due to their overlap with COVID-19 symptoms.

If your doctor diagnoses a cold, you’ll only need to treat your symptoms until the virus has run its course. These treatments can include:

using over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications

staying hydrated

getting plenty of rest

For the flu, taking flu medicine early in the virus’ cycle may help reduce severity of the illness and shorten the time that you’re sick. Rest and hydration are also beneficial for people with the flu.

Much like the common cold, the flu often just needs time to work its way through your body.

What’s the difference between the flu and COVID-19?

The symptoms of COVID-19, the flu, and allergies have some overlap, but are often different. The main symptoms of COVID-19 are:

• tiredness
• fever
• cough
• shortness of breath
• Sneezing is not typical.

Flu symptoms are similar to COVID-19 including fever and body aches. But you may not find shortness of breath as a symptom with the flu.

Allergy symptoms are usually more chronic and include sneezing, coughing, and wheezing.

What are the symptoms of the flu?

Here are some of the common symptoms of the flu:

Fever

The flu almost always causes an increase in your body temperature. This is also known as a fever.

Most flu-related fevers range from a low-grade fever around 100°F (37.8°C) to as high as 104°F (40°C).

Although alarming, it’s not uncommon for young children to have higher fevers than adults. If you suspect your child has the flu, see their doctor.

You may feel “feverish” when you have an elevated temperature. Signs include chills, sweats, or being cold despite your body’s high temperature. Most fevers last for less than 1 week, usually around 3 to 4 days.

Cough

A dry, persistent cough is common with the flu. The cough may worsen, becoming uncomfortable and painful.

You may sometimes experience shortness of breath or chest discomfort during this time. Many flu-related coughs can last for about 2 weeks.

Muscle aches

Flu-related muscle pains are most common in your neck, back, arms, and legs. They can often be severe, making it difficult to move even when trying to perform basic tasks.

Headache

Your first symptom of the flu may be a severe headache. Sometimes symptoms, including light and sound sensitivity, go along with your headache.

Fatigue

Feeling tired is a not-so-obvious symptom of the flu. Feeling generally unwell can be a sign of many conditions. These feelings of tiredness and fatigue may come on fast and be difficult to overcome.

How does the flu shot work?

To make the vaccine, scientists select the strains of the flu virus that research suggests will be the most common in the coming flu season. Millions of vaccines with those strains are produced and distributed.

Once you receive the vaccine, your body begins producing antibodies against those strains of the virus. These antibodies provide protection against the virus.

If you come into contact with the flu virus at a later point, you can avoid contracting it.

You may get sick if you end up coming into contact with a different strain of the virus. But the symptoms will be less severe because you had the vaccination.

How long does the flu last?

Most people recover from the flu in about a week. But it may take several more days for you to feel back to your usual self. It’s not uncommon to feel tired for several days after your flu symptoms have subsided.

It’s important to stay home from school or work until you’ve been free of fever for at least 24 hours (and that’s without taking fever-reducing medications).

If you have the flu, it can be passed to another person a day before your symptoms appear and up to 5–7 days afterward.

If you have any cold or flu symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, you must isolate yourself while getting tested and continue to practice good hygiene such as:

1. washing your hands
2. disinfecting high-touch areas
3. wearing a face covering
4. avoiding contact with others

Treatment options for the flu

Most cases of the flu are mild enough that you can treat yourself at home without prescription medications.

It’s important you stay home and avoid contact with other people when you first notice flu symptoms.

You should also:

Drink plenty of fluids. This includes water, soup, and low-sugar flavored drinks.

Treat symptoms such as headache and fever with OTC medications.

Wash your hands to prevent spreading the virus to other surfaces or to other people in your house.

Cover your coughs and sneezes with tissues. Immediately dispose of those tissues.

Wear a face covering when in public.

What causes the flu?

The flu is a virus that’s spread in several ways. First, you can contract the virus from a person near you who has the flu and sneezes, coughs, or talks.

The virus can also live on inanimate objects for 2 to 8 hours. If someone with the virus touched a common surface, like a door handle or a keyboard, and you touch the same surface, you could get the virus.

Once you have the virus on your hand, it can enter your body if you touch your mouth, eyes, or nose.

You can get a vaccine against the flu. An annual flu vaccine helps your body prepare for exposure to the virus. But flu viruses are morphing and changing. That’s why you need the flu shot every year, and especially while COVID-19 is still active.

A flu shot helps you by activating your immune system to make antibodies against particular strains of influenza. Antibodies are what prevent infections.

It’s possible to get the flu after receiving the flu shot if you come into contact with other strains of the virus. Even then, it’s likely your symptoms will be much less severe than if you hadn’t had the vaccine at all.

This is because different strains of influenza share common elements (called cross-protection), which means that the flu vaccine is able to work against them, too.

What foods and drinks to avoid

While you may want to drink less liquid so you don’t have to urinate as often, you should still make sure you stay hydrated. More concentrated urine, usually darker in color, can irritate your bladder and cause more frequent urination.

Other foods and drinks can contribute to OAB symptoms, including:

1. alcohol
2. artificial sweeteners
3. chocolate
4. citrus fruits
5. coffee
6. soda
7. spicy foods
8. tea
9. tomato-based foods

You can test which drinks or foods irritate your bladder by eliminating them from your diet. Then reincorporate them one by one every two to three days at a time. Permanently eliminate the particular food or drink that worsens your symptoms.