Questions abound as we head into flu season, now straddled with the added worry of COVID-19. How do you know if it is just a cold or something more serious? Can you get both the flu and COVID at the same time? Is a COVID vaccine coming? Will it be safe? Should I get a flu vaccine? Should I get it now? Or later? These are all valid concerns, and I’ve been getting many of these questions in my office lately. It doesn’t look like we will be rid of COVID-19 anytime soon, and it gets more confusing when cold and flu symptoms start appearing.

While allergies, cold, flu, and COVID-19 will all cause a cough, the

greatest differences are that a fever and chills rarely go along with a common cold; nasal symptoms and sore throat are more likely to be a cold or flu; while the loss of taste and/or smell

are common with COVID. Another important difference is that COVID-19 appears to spread much more easily, and can cause more severe symptoms than the flu.

Of course, a call to your primary care provider is always recommended if you are unsure, or if symptoms start to become more severe, especially if shortness of breath develops.

So, what about a vaccine? There have been some hopes of a vaccine becoming available soon. Even if one is approved quickly by the FDA, the ability for any company to create massive amounts

of it will be slow. And it will likely go to front-line workers and the high- risk population first. Will it be safe though, even when it is available to the general public? Recently (January 2020) a study was published that reported concerns about an association between flu vaccination and increased risk of contracting a coronavirus. It turns out this was not the COVID-19 coronavirus, but other strains of coronavirus from 2017-2018. The report was then reviewed and found to have flawed methods. Canadian researchers examined their own data in response, and found no increased risk of COVID-19 after flu vaccination.

Unfortunately, it is possible to get both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. This double whammy would be devastating for anyone who already has any underlying medical conditions. I highly recommend getting a flu vaccine this year, if you haven’t already. The sooner the better!

Dr. Marti is a board certified Family Medicine physician and co-owner of an integrative Direct Primary Care wellness center, SWMI Health Matters. She has experience in all aspects of Family Medicine including preventative care, chronic disease management, meditation, and mindfulness. Dr. Peters-Sparling seeks to meet her patients wherever they are, without judgement or bias.