Answers to Cold and Flu Questions We Frequently Hear from our Patients.
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What’s the difference between a cold and the flu?
The common cold is caused by a variety of viruses. Many different viruses can cause colds, so there isn’t one vaccine that can protect you from getting sick. If you have a cold, you may have a stuffy nose, a sore throat, a headache, mild body aches, or a low fever. You may also feel tired, and sneeze and cough frequently. There are medicines available over the counter that may help you treat your symptoms. Antibiotics do not kill viruses, so they do not work for colds or flu. Colds usually last 3 to 7 days but sometimes may continue for as long as 2 weeks.
In general, the flu is worse than the common cold. A vaccine is available every year to protect against the most common types of seasonal flu. Flu symptoms come on suddenly and may cause a high fever, headaches, extreme tiredness, a dry cough and sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, and significant muscle aches. Many of the same over-the-counter medicines that can treat symptoms of colds can be effective in treating the flu.
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What’s the latest news on H1N1 flu? Should I worry about H1N1 this coming flu season?
The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus was a significantly different virus from the other flu viruses that had been circulating for the previous 30 to 40 years. A larger number of people got sick from H1N1 flu in 2009, but the severity of the illness was similar to regular flu. In 2010, the H1N1 virus became one of the main flu viruses circulating in the community. It is anticipated that the virus will behave the same way this year, and that it has become one of the regular strains we will see from now on.
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How do I stay healthy?
A great question! There are a few things that everyone can do to avoid getting sick: wash your hands with soap and water as often as you can. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are helpful when you’re on the move. Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes because germs spread that way. Cover your coughs and sneezes with your arms, sleeves, or tissue, and avoid close contact with people who are already sick.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente physicians recommend that everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated for the seasonal flu when vaccine is available. We can tell you more about vaccines, or call (800) KP-FLU-11 for the latest information.
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Do I need a vaccine?
The best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu is to get a flu vaccination every year.
Because we have seen an increased number of whooping cough cases (also called pertussis), we recommend children and adults make sure they are up to date on their pertussis vaccination.
Visit our Understanding Vaccines section; we’ll tell you more about the vaccines for flu and whooping cough. We can also tell you whether you should have the flu shot or the flu nasal spray vaccine.
To see if you are due for the flu vaccine or other immunizations or screenings, sign on to Preventive Services.
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I’m sick now—should I be worried?
We know being sick isn't fun—it can even be pretty miserable. The good news is that almost all cases of cold and flu can be treated safely and effectively at home. Getting rest, drinking lots of fluids and using the right medications to treat your symptoms is usually the best way to a recover quickly.
Still, you may have questions about what’s normal during a cold or the flu, and whether or not you need to see your doctor. Our Symptoms and Care section can tell you more about what to expect from the cold and flu, how to treat your symptoms, and what kinds of complications you should watch out for.
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I heard whooping cough was on the rise this year. Do I need to do anything?
Whooping cough (also called pertussis) is a highly contagious bacterial infection spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing. It spreads easily in households, schools, and workplaces. Over the past 30 years, the number of people with whooping cough in the U.S. has been increasing. There were 8,383 cases of confirmed or suspected whooping cough in California in 2010 – the most cases seen in 63 years. In June 2010 the California Department of Public Health declared a pertussis epidemic. Pertussis can be serious: 361 people required hospitalization for the condition and 10 infants died from the disease.
Young children commonly get pertussis from close contact with a caregiver such as their mother or father. Whooping cough is most dangerous for unvaccinated babies and infants younger than 6 months of age. When babies get pertussis, the cough can be so severe that it can make it difficult for the child to breathe. It may become life-threatening and require hospitalization.
Adults can also catch whooping cough because the protection they may have gotten from their childhood vaccination wears off by adolescence. After recovering from infection with pertussis, you can still get infected again. That is why keeping up-to-date with your vaccinations is so important.
The good news is that there are vaccines for both children and adults to prevent whooping cough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente physicians recommend all children younger than 7 complete their regular childhood vaccination series for pertussis. We urge all members older than 7, including people older than 65, to be vaccinated, with emphasis on the following priority groups:
- Parents and caretakers of newborns/infants
- Women ages 18 to 45
- Adolescents
- Pregnant women and mothers who have recently given birth
- Healthcare workers
Read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's handout on whooping cough and Tdap vaccine.