How to Prepare for the Cold and Flu Season During a Pandemic

COVID-19 didn’t go away over the summer as we hoped – far from it . But while the coronavirus does not appear to be seasonal, many other infectious diseases are seasonal. Colds and flu spread every winter, and this winter they will spread with COVID. So how can we prepare?

Remember, colds, flu, and COVID may look the same.

Colds and flu are already very similar ailments. The flu will often be worse than a cold, but this is not a hard and fast rule. There is usually at least one flu virus strain in winter, plus many cold viruses. The viruses that cause the common cold include rhinovirus, adenovirus, and four other types of human coronavirus.

Any of these can cause fever and respiratory symptoms such as cough and runny nose. In ordinary years, it is quite difficult to distinguish a cold from the flu; we are now adding COVID-19 capability to this mix.

Don’t expect any chart or rule of thumb to reliably tell the difference between the common cold and COVID. If you think you have a common cold, it might actually be COVID. On the other hand, if you think you might have COVID symptoms, you can calm down by remembering that it might just be a cold.

Don’t assume anyway. Testing will be essential to distinguish COVID from other respiratory infections. (Hopefully, quick tests are available to everyone who needs them, and that executives are planning now with increased demand.) If you think you have a cold, flu, or COVID (or fall allergies, for that matter) , Contact us. Check with your local doctor.

Masks and distancing protect us from colds and flu

We used to think of masks and social distancing as measures to combat COVID, but because they protect us from each other’s respiratory droplets, they can reduce the risk of contracting and spreading other diseases.

This means that even if you don’t think you’re at risk of contracting COVID — say, you’re visiting a friend who recently tested negative — safety measures such as masks, distancing, and ventilation are still a good idea.

Remember that even though the common cold is less fatal than COVID, a cold can mean that you will be concerned about your health, get tested, and seek help.

Be sure to get a flu shot

The last thing you need in the midst of a pandemic is to catch the flu. While flu shots are not ideal, they:

• lower your overall chances of getting the flu
• make it more likely that if you get the flu it will be mild
• reduce the likelihood that you pass the flu to someone more vulnerable

Less flu in society is good. In addition to being unsure if you are not sure if you have the flu or COVID, there are other reasons. People with the flu are sometimes so sick that they need hospital care, so less flu means less burden on the health care system. And less flu means less chance of someone getting the flu and COVID at the same time. It wouldn’t be fun.

Support Your Immune System, But Not With Supplements

There are many supplements out there that claim to “strengthen” your immune system, but these claims are mostly useless. As we discussed earlier , they don’t work – and even if they did, amplification isn’t what your immune system needs.

I am thinking of supplements like vitamin C, which is not bad for you or anything like that, but it really won’t affect staying healthy and getting sick.

However, I understand that taking Emergen-C (or whatever) every day is a small beneficial ritual for many people. I usually say that you should overcome yourself , but we are in a pandemic. If doing something like this helps you feel calm and in control, it may be good for your mental health. Maybe it takes up some place in the brain that would otherwise be filled with anxiety. Just remember the limitations and don’t let these little rituals give you a false sense of security.

Sleep well and eat well

The best ways to support your immune system are simple and tedious. Science is almost certain that people are least likely to get sick when they are well rested, well fed, and not under extreme stress.

Life is hard there and you shouldn’t feel guilty if you’re really stressed. But if possible, set aside some time to go to bed early. Plan meals that include both protein and vegetables. Manage stress as best you can, whether it’s delegating tasks, spending more time taking care of yourself, or realizing that you’ve probably ignored these signs of anxiety for too long and it’s time to get into therapy .