There’s a difference between having a cold and the flu.

By Andrea Wright

I never used to worry about the flu. Sure, no one wants a fever and the sniffles, but I get sick fairly often and it’s no big deal, right? Wrong.

I came to this realization during finals week of my senior year in college. I had one exam left before graduation and started getting all the usual symptoms – congestion, body aches, fatigue. I had four days to study, so I figured that by day two, I’d feel better and could focus on that test.

But my fever got worse and I could barely get out of bed. I tried to study, but with a pounding headache, painful cough and overwhelming fatigue, it was impossible. My condition was serious.

By day three, I accepted defeat and called my professor. She was very understanding and even offered to drive me to the doctor. She gave me an “incomplete” for the course, which meant that I could walk with my graduating class and could make up the exam later.

This experience taught me that the flu is a big deal, and getting it can really affect your life. After those two horrible weeks, I realized that all those other times I got sick and thought I had the flu, I most likely had a cold. Flu and colds have similar symptoms – both are contagious viral infections of the respiratory tract – but the flu knocks you off your feet. Ron Fujimoto, D.O., said that doctors always know when a patient has the flu versus a cold, because when they walk into the exam room, the patient is almost always lying down instead of sitting up and waiting.
 
Since the flu is highly contagious, avoid people who have the virus, wash your hands often, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If you are sick, do your community a favor – stay home and away from other people.

The best prevention against the flu is to get an annual flu shot. I used to think that flu shots were unnecessary because I was invincible. I didn’t need to go through the trouble of getting a shot just to help prevent a few inconvenient days with a fever. Since my flu experience, however, I haven’t missed a flu shot. I’m especially glad that this year’s shot also contains a vaccine against the H1N1 flu virus.

Flu shots are recommended for most people, including those 50 and above, health care workers, pregnant women, children age 6 months to 18 years, caregivers of children less than 6 months old, and people with chronic conditions. Nasal spray vaccines are also available, and may be an easier option for children. Keep in mind, however, that the injection is the recommended method for most people, and nasal sprays may not be ideal or cost effective for adults.

You can get a flu shot at your doctor’s office or at one of the HMSA-sponsored flu shot clinics throughout the state. There is no charge for annual flu shots for HMSA members at one of the HMSA flu shot clinics. For more information and a schedule of HMSA clinics, visit hmsa.com or call 211.

Special Notice for Seniors: Since senior citizens face greater risks from the flu and their bodies are more resistant to vaccines, there is a high-dose flu vaccine for those over the age of 65. This high-dose vaccine was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It is available starting this year and is a covered benefit of most HMSA health plans.