In everyday life, we come into contact with many different types of viruses capable of causing disease. The common cold is often spread through droplets in the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes, or talks. Healthy people can inhale these droplets and get infected.
Depending on the pathogen, the person’s age, and state of health, the first symptoms of the disease may appear within a few hours or days after exposure. Like flu and COVID-19, colds have a rapid onset of symptoms. Most people start to feel weak, tired, and less productive. Another symptom is an itchy throat that quickly progresses to soreness and pain. Colds usually go away on their own after 7-10 days without specific medical treatment.
Until recently, a sore throat ranked among the most common Omicron symptoms. However, you should not try to identify the cause of the infection only by the symptoms. Each new COVID variant may be completely different from previous strains. For that reason, doctors recommend COVID-19 Testing if a person has cold or flu-like symptoms.
The diseases can cause mild to severe symptoms. However, they may also differ from person to person. In some cases, it is possible for the disease to occur without a fever.
Common colds usually require minimal medical attention. Although it is not a serious illness, complications can sometimes arise. If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor.
We provide an individualized treatment plan for each patient depending on the clinical presentation, general health, and possible contraindications.
Vaccination helps reduce the risk of illness or get a milder illness. On average, out of every 100 people who have the vaccine, up to 70-98 get protected. And even when the disease does occur among people who are fully vaccinated, the severity of the disease is less. The vaccine itself is not capable of causing illness, but it allows the immune system to remember foreign cells of influenza viruses and destroy them if you are exposed to them in the future.
The CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older (as long as a patient has no other contraindications). Flu vaccines are especially important for people who are at high risk from complications.
Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent contracting COVID-19 and developing complications. A study published in August 2021 shows that unvaccinated people are two times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who were previously infected and vaccinated. Therefore, booster shots are recommended for everyone age 12 and older (if more than 5 months have passed since the primary vaccination).
Three vaccines are approved for use in the United States to prevent COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen.
Similar to other vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine can cause the body to have an immune response. The most commonly reported side effects include fever, headache, fatigue, and pain at the injection site. It is important to note that the reaction produced by the body is natural, and it will last no more than a couple of days.