Take these steps to stay safe this flu season
Oct 22, 2023, 2:00 PM | Updated: 3:05 pm
One way to prepare for the flu season is by getting a flu shot. This vaccine will activate your immune system to recognize the virus and fight it off. (Canva)
(Canva)
SALT LAKE CITY – Flu season is here, so it’s important to be aware of some simple steps we can take to stay safe and healthy.
In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, Maria Shilaos spoke with MinuteClinic Family Nurse Practitioner Cheyenne Hedrick to learn how we can tell if we have the flu and why it’s necessary to get vaccinated.
The difference between the flu, COVID-19, and the cold
If you feel sick, there are ways to figure out what exactly it is that you’re suffering from. It may be the flu, but it may also just be a common cold.
“The flu can often be a sudden onset of symptoms. That sometimes can be the differentiating factor,” Hedrick said.
Symptoms of the flu include a fever, chills, muscle ache, fatigue and headache. For COVID-19, there’s also a breathing issue. When it comes to the common cold, these symptoms are more mild.
How does the vaccine keep us safe during flu season?
The CDC recommends getting vaccinated early in the fall, ideally by the end of October. Doing this helps not just ourselves but also the people around us, especially pregnant women and those who have diabetes and high blood pressure.
“We have some vulnerable populations that are at more risk of being hospitalized and even death,” Hedrick said.
Depending on patient history, it is also safe to get the vaccine for the flu and COVID-19 together.
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