Flu season is officially upon us and with it comes some worry. How can one tell if their symptoms are from the flu or the common cold? Is it possible to avoid contracting the flu? Who is most at risk? And is the flu vaccine safe and necessary?
All of these questions and more are answered by Jing Liang, a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic Medical Group’s Primary Care Cottman, on the latest episode of the Beyond the Stethoscope podcast.
According to the CDC, there are approximately 140,000 flu-related hospitalizations in the U.S. each year. To minimize symptoms and the risk of serious complications, Liang urges everyone to get their flu shot at the beginning of flu season, which runs from October through May. The only exceptions are children younger than 6 months and those with a life-threatening allergic reaction to the vaccine’s ingredients.
Regarding the vaccine, there are some common misconceptions. Below, Liang sets the record straight on each one.
- The flu vaccine gives recipients the flu: “That belief is simply not true. The flu vaccine is an inactive or dead form of the virus, or a very weakened form of it, that’s introduced to our bodies. It prompts our immune system to create those antibodies so that when we come into contact with the real deal, we have that protection already in place. The capacity is not there to be infected with the flu from the vaccine and the dead parts of the virus.”
- Side effects from the vaccine are bad: “Normally, people do experience some mild side effects and usually, it’s just limited to the injection site. There may be a little bit of soreness, a little bit of redness at the site. Some people can develop mild symptoms such as a headache or a low-grade fever. But those are pretty mild and resolve on their own.”
- Healthy people don’t need the vaccine: “They can definitely still benefit from the flu shot. Healthy people get sick all the time when they contract the flu. It’s also not just about protecting yourself, but protecting the community as well because when you get the flu shot, you prevent that spread to other vulnerable individuals like the elderly.”
In addition to the vaccine, ways to increase prevention and minimize spread include frequent handwashing (especially after touching public surfaces), wearing a mask when sick and coughing, and covering sneezes with the elbow.
“The flu is spread through droplet transmission in infected individuals, so that can be from coughing, sneezing or even just talking to people,” says Liang. “You can also get it through indirect contact. For example, if you touch a surface area that’s infected with the virus and then you touch your nose, mouth or eyes.”
These preventative steps should be taken regardless of whether one has the flu or common cold. But it’s also important to know the difference between these two illnesses, as the former can cause serious complications to at-risk groups, including older individuals, infants, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions like asthma, COPD and heart failure.
“The flu and the common cold are caused by different pathogens, but they’re both respiratory viruses that can cause respiratory illness,” says Liang. “The common cold tends to be very mild in severity compared to the flu, which can have varying severities. While they have a lot of overlapping symptoms, including chest congestion, cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, the common cold tends to resolve on its own without additional treatment and the flu can progress into pneumonia.”
For those who are unsure about which type of illness they have, testing is available at primary care offices, urgent care and emergency rooms. The community can also stop by their nearest primary care office or pharmacy for a flu shot.
“The sooner you get it, the better chance of protection you have,” says Liang. “Flu is a very serious health threat right now. It hasn’t gone away and it probably won’t ever go away. Even though we have other viruses now like COVID-19, it’s really important that we don’t forget about the flu, too.”