If it’s winter, it’s flu season — no matter how balmy the South Carolina weather is. We all tend to spend more time indoors, where viruses and bacterial infections are more likely to spread.
Beware Influenza Season
“It’s easy to forget that before the pandemic, the influenza virus was the winter illness many of us were concerned about,” says Dr. Lauren Spradley Oglesby, a board-certified internist and pediatrician at Beaufort Memorial Harrison Peeples Health Care Center. “With the flu, most people will just experience several days of symptoms, including aches, fever, coughing and congestion. However, young children, senior citizens and people with compromised immune systems who get the flu can develop serious flu-related complications, such as pneumonia, and may become ill enough to need hospitalization.”
COVID-19 remains a significant threat, especially for unvaccinated individuals, Dr. Oglesby adds, but it’s still important to take the flu seriously.
Read More: Have Flu Symptoms? Get an Online Diagnosis
10 Other Winter Illnesses
- Acute bronchitis. Usually caused by viral infections, such as the flu and the common cold, this causes chest pain and coughing for about three weeks.
- Common cold. Coughing, sneezing, runny nose and a low-grade fever are all symptoms of a common cold — which, like the flu, is a virus that cannot be treated with antibiotics.
- COVID-19. COVID-19 causes a range of symptoms from aches and pains to digestive issues and loss of taste and smell. Some symptoms mimic those for cold and the flu. If you are vaccinated against COVID-19, you may only experience mild symptoms. Unvaccinated people may develop more severe illness and potentially need to be hospitalized.
Read More: How Can You Tell If You Have COVID-19?
- Croup. This infection mostly occurs in children younger than 5 and causes a barking cough and a hoarse voice.
- Laryngitis. “Losing your voice” is usually caused by an upper respiratory infection. Some forms of the condition can be more serious in children.
- Pneumonia. This infection can affect one or both lungs, causing them to fill with fluid, while also causing fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In adults, RSV usually presents as a mild cold, but in infants and senior citizens, it can lead to pneumonia.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Sure, it might not make you cough or sneeze, but lack of sunlight can negatively affect your mood.
Read More: Managing Seasonal Depression
- Sinus infections. Dry air, allergies or lingering symptoms from past illnesses can lead to infected sinuses with painful headaches.
- Stomach flu (norovirus). This highly contagious virus spreads through contaminated surfaces or contact with an infected person and causes serious vomiting and diarrhea. Although it can affect people all year, it’s most common from November to April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Flu Shots and Other Important Seasonal Vaccines
“While it’s impossible to prevent contracting all types of winter illnesses, the flu, COVID-19 and pneumonia have highly effective vaccines that can prevent illness,” Dr. Oglesby says. “Even if you get sick despite being vaccinated, your symptoms will be far less severe.”
According to the CDC:
- The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is approved for people age 5 and older, and its booster shot is approved for people age 12 and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and boosters are for adults age 18 and older. Pfizer and Moderna boosters are recommended six months from the date of the second shot. The Johnson & Johnson booster is recommended two months after the initial dose.
- Flu vaccinations are recommended every flu season for everyone 6 months old and older.
- Pneumonia vaccines are available for children under 2 years old, adults age 65 and older, and people of all ages with medical conditions that weaken the immune system.
Other Ways to Prevent Winter Illnesses
If you have a healthy immune system, it is easier for your body to fight off illness. Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise are two of the best things you can do to prevent getting seriously sick or developing other conditions that can lower your immunity.
You’re also far less likely to contract any type of illness this winter by practicing the following common sense safety measures:
- Disinfect surfaces you touch regularly, such as doorknobs and phones.
- Stay home from work and keep your children home from school when sick.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds frequently and use hand sanitizer if a sink is not readily available.
- Wear a mask while indoors in public places, such as stores and schools.
Before you get sick this winter, find a primary care provider accepting new patients. Need care quickly? Download BMH Care Anywhere for an urgent care video visit.