You’re bound to encounter some type of illness this winter, but how do you tell which virus you have? And how do you know if what you’re experiencing is just allergies? It’s important to figure it out, since viruses that cause the flu, COVID and RSV are all contagious, while allergies aren’t and don’t require the same social-distancing precautions. (And yes, allergies are still common during the winter.)
It may be too soon to tell how severe the flu will be this year, since most flu activity typically peaks between December and February, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, an increase in COVID and flu cases can be expected around the holidays, when more people are gathering indoors.
Besides flu and COVID, specific groups worry about RSV. The CDC recommends that all adults age 75 and older and adults ages 60-74 who are at increased risk of severe…
