As flu season approaches, COVID has already made a comeback. It’s important to take precautions to protect yourself and others from spreading illness. The flu, especially can spread rapidly, affecting our health, daily routines, and our communities .
Science teacher Ms. Heather Oaks offers some tips for students to stay healthy.
“Wash your filthy hands! For real, wash them, all time. If they don’t feel/smell clean they’re not! Also, if you are sick and contagious stay home; wear a mask. You can get a free COVID test again! Go order some,” Ms. Oaks said.
Both COVID and the flu have similar symptoms:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Body aches
- Headaches
Sometimes people mistake COVID for the flu or allergies and end up spreading it, which can be a huge problem.
Oaks says that the differences between illnesses are in the symptoms. For instance, the lost of taste and smell are unique to COVID
“Everyone is different, and you know your body best,” Ms. Oaks said. “For me, itchy eyes are a dead giveaway that it’s allergy time. Fun fact allergies get worse as you age.”
Another issue, Ms. Oaks said, is the misconception that vaccines don’t do anything.
“Vaccines are constantly updated, and very important for certain groups of population,” she said.
Every year, individuals wonder how bad the flu season will be this year. In fact there are too many factors to make any predictions, Ms. Oaks said, adding that “the CDC is leaning towards a slightly lighter flu/cold season. Wash your hands and don’t touch your face if you want to stay safe.”