It’s that time of year again, and doctors want to keep you and your family healthy as cold and flu season ramps up.

Flu arrived unusually early in Colorado for the 2026-27 season, with positive tests climbing rapidly at UCHealth hospitals and clinics.

“Good, basic hygiene like washing your hands and wearing a mask if you are ill can help prevent the spread of these illnesses,” said Brickley Biondi, a physician assistant at UCHealth Primary Care – Steamboat Springs.

Vaccination also can help protect against serious illness from the flu. For the latest recommendations, learn more about the 2026-27 flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

With help from Bondi and Dr. Michell Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UCHealth, we answer frequently asked questions about colds and the flu. These experts also address confusion, misinformation and myths about the viruses that cause colds and the flu.

What are some differences between the flu and a cold?

The flu usually comes on faster and has more severe symptoms than a cold. It also can cause symptoms that last longer than a cold.

“The cold and the flu are two separate viruses,” Bondi said.

Both illnesses can sideline people with sore throats, upper respiratory congestion, and fatigue. People who have the flu often also get a fever, headache, nausea and muscle aches. Diarrhea and vomiting are not typical of the flu. These symptoms are more typical of stomach bugs like norovirus, but children can occasionally have gastrointestinal symptoms with the flu.

If you aren’t sure whether you have the flu, COVID-19 or another illness, you can take a test or visit your medical provider or an urgent care clinic to get help.

It’s wise to find out whether you have a cold, the flu or COVID-19 because doctors can prescribe medications to reduce the severity and duration of the flu or COVID-19.

Are COVID-19 and the flu the same?

No. COVID-19 and the flu are different illnesses.

“They are caused by different viruses, although symptoms can be similar,” Barron said. “COVID tests are readily available, and you can take them at home so you will know definitively if you have it.”

Notify your medical provider quickly if you test positive for the flu or COVID-19.

Isn’t the flu just a bad cold?

No, the flu is far more than a bad cold, and it can be deadly for vulnerable people.

While viruses cause both colds and the flu, the common cold can be caused by 30-plus viruses, while influenza A and B are the two main flu viruses that drive annual flu epidemics worldwide.

How do flu and cold viruses spread?

Both viruses spread through upper-respiratory secretions. For instance, if you come into close contact with someone who coughs or sneezes, and you inhale those droplets or touch a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes or mouth, you can become infected.

A person is contagious for 24 hours to three to four days before they develop cold or flu symptoms. That’s why flu, colds and other respiratory illnesses can spread so widely during flu and cold seasons. After you have been sick, doctors advise you to stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever breaks, without medication, so you don’t infect others.

How can I protect myself and my family from getting colds and the flu?

• Wash your hands often.
• Stay at home if you are sick.
• Don’t send sick children to school.
• If possible, self-isolate in your home, and use separate towels for sick family members.
• If you are sick, wear a mask if you need to be in public.

What should you do if you’re feeling sick and you think you might have the flu?

If you are experiencing flu symptoms, check with your medical provider right away. You can get tested to learn exactly what you have, whether it’s flu, COVID-19 or RSV.

For both flu and COVID-19, antiviral medications can reduce illness severity and duration, but you need to start them soon after you get sick.

The antiviral medication for the flu is called Tamiflu. You need to start taking it within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptom.

The antiviral medication you can take to reduce the severity of COVID-19 is called Paxlovid. You need to start taking it within five days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

Be sure to stay hydrated. You can use home remedies to feel better. Keep essential medications at home so you don’t have to venture out when you feel lousy.

And you can comfort yourself or others who are feeling sick by making soothing soups. Check out some soup ideas to make during flu season.

What should I do if someone in my house has the flu? 

Barron has a friend who called her for advice. His young child got sick with the flu at day care. The parents had been too busy to get flu vaccines for their child or themselves. The parents are immunocompromised and wondered how they should protect themselves. Should they consider taking Tamiflu — the medication that people can take early in the course of a flu infection to reduce the severity of the flu or to shorten the course of the illness?

Barron’s advice to her friend was simple and clear.

“Yes. You have diabetes. So, you’re at higher risk if you get the flu. You can take Tamiflu.”

She said people who have the flu in their home or who were otherwise exposed and are at high risk for severe illness if they get the flu can take Tamiflu prophylactically to prevent flu cases.

If you’re feeling sick, or a member of your household is sick, it’s wise to get tested for flu, COVID-19 or RSV and check with your medical provider about medications you can take.

“Tamiflu can help. You still want to do everything to try and avoid contact with the person who is sick while they’re infectious, like wearing a mask in your home,” Barron said.

She also advised her friend to have the whole family get flu shots once their child recovered.

Who is at higher risk of getting very sick from the flu?

The people who are most at risk of getting sick from the flu include older adults who are ages 65 and older, pregnant women and those who have just delivered their babies in the past two weeks, residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities and people with underlying medical conditions.

People who are at higher risk due to medical conditions include anyone with asthma, neurological conditions, chronic lung disease, heart disease, kidney and liver conditions, diabetes, blood disorders, weak immune systems due to cancer or HIV and patients who are taking medications that weaken their ability to fight infections. These include chemotherapy medications, steroids and immunosuppressants.

Misinformation has reduced vaccination rates during pregnancy over the past decade.

“Some people think, ‘I’m young. I’m healthy. Why would I need a vaccine?’ But they’re not thinking about the fact that when you’re pregnant, your immune system is not as strong,” Barron said.

She strongly advises pregnant women to get all of the recommended vaccines.

Can you get the flu twice in the same flu season?

Yes. Barron said you can get two different flu strains in the same season. The best way to avoid getting the flu — or to avoid getting severely ill and needing to be. hospitalized — is to get your vaccine.

Is the old saying ‘starve a fever and feed a cold’ true?

No. “While we might not feel like eating when we’re sick, especially when we have a fever, it’s important to fuel our bodies the best we can with good, nutritious food. And the most important thing to give ourselves when we’re sick is plenty of hydration,” Biondi said.

Hydration is critical if you are vomiting or have diarrhea, especially in children. Contact your medical provider immediately if an infant or very young child can’t keep any liquids down. Babies can become severely dehydrated in a very short period of time. And dehydration can be deadly.

Should I ever see the doctor for the flu or cold?

Yes, you should contact your doctor if symptoms persist or if your child is very ill. Coughs can persist for several days. If your symptoms haven’t improved or have worsened after seven to 10 days, call your doctor for advice.

Seek help immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Chest pain.
• Coughing up blood.
• Confusion, severe vomiting, fever with a rash.

“It’s important for higher risk individuals or children to come in and be seen so we can check vital signs and blood pressure and make sure nothing more serious is going on,” Biondi said.

What should I do if I need to see a doctor after business hours or on a weekend?

• Find an urgent care clinic near you.
• Or schedule a visit with an expert in the Virtual Urgent Care.
• Walk-in patients are welcome, or you can reserve your spot online.
• Urgent care providers help with minor injuries and illnesses that can’t wait for a doctor’s appointment but don’t require an ER visit.

What happens when people need to be hospitalized with the flu?

Some children and adults need hospitalization when they have trouble breathing or become severely dehydrated.

If you or your child is ill, do not delay. Call for help right away.

Barron said some people can develop bacterial pneumonia on top of a flu infection.

“And what gets people in trouble (and can be deadly) is breathing issues,” Barron said.

Can I take antibiotics if I have a cold?

No. Viruses cause colds, not bacteria. So antibiotics don’t help with a common cold.

“Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, and most upper respiratory illnesses are caused by viruses,” Bondi said.  “There can be complications from colds, such as sinus infections and pneumonia that require antibiotics, but you don’t always know that right away.”

Instead of asking your primary care provider for antibiotics, Biondi encourages her patients to use “supportive treatments” such as decongestants, cough medicines and plenty of liquids. And get lots of rest.

Which over-the-counter medications can help reduce the lifespan of a cold?

“Our bodies need to fight the virus, so we can’t reduce the life span of a cold. But we can treat symptoms with cough medicines, decongestants (check with your provider), and other symptomatic medications,” Biondi said.

You can treat a cold with a cough with over-the-counter products containing “DM,” or dextromethorphan.

To help with fever and relieve headaches, use acetaminophen. You can also alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen doses. For muscle and body aches, ibuprofen or naproxen typically work best. A humidifier and cough drops can also provide comfort.

Mucinex and Flonase can help with sinus inflammation.

Can you exercise with a cold or flu?

You can exercise with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat and sneezing, but don’t go to the gym when you are contagious. If you are recovering from an illness, feeling well enough to work out, and you don’t have a fever, you can reduce the intensity or modify your exercise regimen, Biondi said.

Don’t exercise when you have chest pain, trouble breathing, a fever or severe fatigue.

“Use your symptoms as a guide. If you feel OK, do an easy workout, but don’t overexert yourself – the whole idea is you want to get better and back to doing the things you love.”