Cold & Flu
As the temperature drops
and the leaves continue to fall...
people start to sneeze,
cough and hopefully
stay home to get better.
Are You Coming Down With Something?
Use this chart to see if your symptoms are more like a cold or the flu. (See your primary care physician to find out for sure.)
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Symptoms
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Cold
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Flu
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Fever
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Rare
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High
(100-102�F),
Can last 3-4 days
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Headache
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Rare
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Intense
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General Aches, Pains
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Slight
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Usual, Often Severe
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Fatigue, Weakness
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Mild
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Intense, Can last up to 2-3 weeks
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Extreme Exhaustion
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Never
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Usual, Starts Early
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Stuffy Nose
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Common
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Sometimes
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Sneezing
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Usual
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Sometimes
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Sore Throat
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Common
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Common
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Cough
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Mild to Moderate
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Common, can become severe
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TRIED & TRUE,
Vaccination Protects
Against the Flu!
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There are a lot of reasons to get a flu vaccine each year.
1. Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick from flu. Protecting yourself from flu also protects the people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness.
2. Flu vaccination can help protect people who are at greater risk of getting seriously ill from flu, like older adults, people with chronic health conditions and young children (especially infants younger than 6 months old who are too young to get vaccinated).
3. Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.
4. Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes, like hospitalizations.
For more Flu Vaccine Benefits, visit CDC.gov.
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Person to Person
People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose.
To avoid this, people should stay away from sick people and stay home if sick.
It also is important to wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Eating utensils can be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap and do not need to be cleaned separately.
Further, frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at home, work and school, especially if someone is ill.
For more information on how flu spreads, visit CDC.gov.
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TEST YOUR
FLU KNOWLEDGE
What's your Flu I.Q.?
Click the image below to learn what's true about the flu.
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"The flu vaccine is the best way to reduce your chances of getting seasonal flu and spread it to others. When more people are vaccinated, less flu can spread through the community," said Dr. Lorraine Allegro-Skinner, Family Medicine Practitioner at Catskill Regional Medical Group.
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Get Your Flu Shot This Season!
Prevent the flu and visit one of Catskill Regional Medical Group's
Primary Care offices to get your flu shot.
Visit our website for more information on Catskill Regional Medical Group's
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