Tips for Staying Healthy in Cold, COVID and Flu Season

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness. For most people, it causes mild to moderate symptoms like cough, fever and body aches. For people of older age or the very young, those who are pregnant or those with chronic medical conditions, it can be much more severe. If you are at high risk for flu-related complications and think you have the flu, please reach out to your healthcare professional.

Contact your primary care provider or, if you don’t have one, visit one of our Immediate Care Centers if you are at high risk for complications and think you have the flu.

Flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. These two types of illnesses have similar symptoms, and it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold. Symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness and dry cough are more common and intense with the flu.

Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Unlike the flu, colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections or hospitalizations. Because of these shared symptoms, it can be difficult — or even impossible – to tell the difference between a cold and the flu. Special tests must be done within the first few days of illness to confirm if a person has the flu.

COVID-19 and the flu are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, while influenza is caused by influenza A and B viruses. View a complete list of signs and symptoms for COVID-19 and flu.

Everyone is at risk. Those at high risk for complications include young children, adults over 65, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses and those with weakened immune symptoms. Your risk of severe illness is greatly reduced by being vaccinated against the flu. It is highly recommended that if you are in high-risk group, a healthcare worker or work or live with someone in a high-risk group, that you get vaccinated. Protect yourself and protect those around you.

COVID-19 is spread by coughing or sneezing, as well as close contact with an infected person. Close contact means being within six feet of an infected person for a period of time.

Get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19. Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to protect yourself. Avoid touching your face. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. This helps prevent those around you from getting sick. Don’t have a tissue? Cough into the crook of your elbow or upper sleeve to prevent the spread of germs.

If you are sick, stay home to help prevent others from getting sick.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too.

Take care of yourself, get plenty of sleep, manage your stress, eat healthy, exercise daily and drink plenty of liquids to stay healthy.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash your hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty. 

Flu is a serious illness that can cause hospitalization and sometimes death. Every flu season is different, and influenza affects everyone differently. Even healthy individuals can get very sick from the flu. That is why it is important to protect yourself and those you love by getting vaccinated.

Spartanburg Regional recommends that everyone six months of age and older get vaccinated against the seasonal flu as soon as vaccines for the current season, which runs from October to March, are available. A new flu vaccine is developed every year and is designed to protect against three to four influenza viruses that are expected to be most common during the upcoming season.

Even though we recommend getting the vaccine as early in the season as possible, it is still beneficial anytime, even during peak outbreaks.

All Immediate Care Centers welcome walk-ins for the annual flu vaccine.

Find a Location Near You

Medical Group of the Carolinas (MGC) primary care practices offer the annual flu vaccine to their established patients by appointment. You may schedule a visit by using MyChart or calling your medical provider.

Find an MGC Office

COVID-19 vaccines are also available at a provider near you via the link below or by calling 864-577-4091.

Schedule a COVID-19 Vaccine

Yes. However, those awaiting test results for COVID-19 cannot get a flu shot. We recommend that anyone with COVID-19 wait at least 10 days after a positive test result before getting the flu shot.

If you are in a high-risk group or are feeling sicker than you expect, contact your healthcare professional. If antiviral treatment is warranted for flu, it is most effective when started early. Antivirals, however, are not a cure; they only shorten the course of illness by a day or two.

If you or a loved one have the flu or COVID-19, there is no need to go to the emergency room unless you have emergency warning signs of advanced illness, including:

In adults

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In children and infants

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Fever with a rash
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Being unable to eat
• Has trouble breathing
• Has no tears when crying
• Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

Individuals diagnosed with influenza can be considered potentially contagious if they are experiencing symptoms and up to seven days following the onset of symptoms.

Some viruses and bacteria can live for two hours or longer on surfaces like tables, doorknobs, light switches and counters. Keep these surfaces clean and wash your hands frequently to reduce the chance of contamination.