COVID-19, Flu, and RSV Frequently Asked Questions

Flu is an illness that you can catch easily from others. The flu is caused by a group of viruses, called “influenza” viruses (or “flu”). The viruses infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Flu can cause mild to severe illness. At times, it can lead to death. The best way to reduce the risk from flu and its potentially serious complications is to get a flu vaccine each year.

The virus spreads mainly from one person to others through:

• Droplets in the air when someone with flu coughs or sneezes or talks. These drops can land in the mouths or noses of people who are near you. Or they can go into someone’s lungs when a person breathes in.
• Another way that flu can spread is by touching something, like an object or surface, with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before you wash your hands.
• In some indoor settings with poor ventilation, the virus could spread longer distances and cause infections.

**You can have flu and not have any symptoms. So, people could spread flu to others and not even know it. Flu spreads the same way COVID-19 spreads.

What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. It causes symptoms that can feel like a cold, flu, or pneumonia. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms but some people become very ill. The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to get the COVID-19 and booster vaccines.

While COVID-19 and flu are thought to spread in similar ways, COVID-19 is more contagious than flu.

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. Other people can breathe in these droplets and particles, or these droplets and particles can land on others' eyes, nose, or mouth. In some circumstances, these droplets may contaminate the surfaces they touch.

Anyone infected with COVID-19 can spread it, even if they do NOT have symptoms.

Here are measures to protect you and help prevent the spread of flu, COVID-19 and RSV:

• Wash hands regularly with soap and water.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your elbow when sneezing or coughing.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces, like doorknobs and light switches.
• If you have symptoms, avoid close contact with others.

If you need to be around others while sick, wear a face mask.

There are currently vaccines to protect against flu, COVID-19 and RSV. There are flu vaccine, RSV and COVID-19 options. Your doctor can recommend one that is appropriate for you. Pregnant people and people with disabilities should not receive the nasal spray flu vaccine.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild symptoms. However, it can be more serious for infants and adults over 60.

CDC recommends RSV immunizations to protect infants, some young children, and older adults from severe RSV illness.

• Everyone ages 75 and older should get an RSV vaccine.
• CDC also recommends adults ages 60-74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease get an RSV vaccine.
• To prevent severe RSV disease in infants, CDC recommends either the pregnant mother gets an RSV vaccine, or the infant gets an immunization with an RSV monoclonal antibody. Most infants will not need both.

Yes. The CDC says it's safe to get flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines at the same time. It's a good idea to talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional about when to get the vaccines that are recommended for you.

Flu and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses. You can catch both easily from others. But they are caused by different viruses. Here are some of the differences.

• COVID-19 spreads more easily than flu, but both can cause mild to severe illness, including death.
• People with COVID-19 may take longer to show symptoms – usually 2 to 14 days after exposure – while flu symptoms appear within 1 to 4 days.
• COVID-19 can also make people contagious for a longer time compared to the flu.
• Other signs and symptoms of COVID-19, different from flu, may include change in or loss of taste or smell.
• You need specific tests to confirm if you have flu or COVID-19. Your doctor can test you to find out if you have flu or COVID-19.
• Testing can also reveal if someone has both flu and COVID-19 at the same time. This isn’t very common. However, people with flu and COVID-19 at the same time can have more severe diseases than people with either flu or COVID-19.

For both COVID-19 and flu, one or more days can pass from when a person becomes infected to when they start to experience symptoms of illness. Both are contagious illnesses that can include symptoms like fever* or chills, cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, headache, and vomiting or diarrhea (which is more common in children). It is possible to be infected with both viruses without having any symptoms.

Not everyone with flu will have a fever. With the flu, you could spread the flu before you have any symptoms. Typically, a person may experience symptoms anywhere from one to four days after infection. People with flu are potentially contagious for about one day before they show symptoms. Older children and adults with flu are most contagious during the first three days of their illness, but some people remain contagious for slightly longer periods. Young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer periods of time.

Children are more likely to get sick from the flu. But everyone is at risk of getting the flu.

Anyone can get the flu (even healthy people). Serious problems related to flu can happen at any age. Some people are at higher risk for severe illness or complications. They can get serious flu-related complications if they get sick. If you are at higher risk for flu complications, you are at a higher risk for COVID-19. People with disabilities may be at risk beause they:

• May have limited mobility and can’t avoid risk. May be near others who are infected, like caretakers and family members.
• May not understand how to prevent the flu. May not practice ways to prevent the flu. Like handwashing or avoiding contact with people who are sick.
• May not be able to tell someone if they are sick.
• May not realize they have symptoms.

You are at higher risk if:

• You have an intellectual or developmental disability, or a moderate to severe developmental disorder.
• You are a child younger than 5 years old.
• You are 65 years or older.
• You are pregnant.
• You live in a group home.
• You live in a long-term care residence.
• You have one or more certain chronic health conditions including:
  
  • Asthma
  • Blood disorders
  • Lung, heart, kidney, or liver disease
  • Severe obesity
  • Compromised immune system
  • Endocrine disorders (like diabetes)
  • Brain and spinal cord disorders (like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, stroke)

A flu vaccine is a shot that helps protect you from getting the flu. It works by training your immune system to recognize and fight the flu virus, making it less likely that you will get sick or reducing the severity if you do. Flu vaccines are updated each year to target the most common strains of the virus for that season. It is recommended to get one annually to stay protected.

Every flu season is different, and flu can affect people differently. During flu season, millions of people get flu, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes. This fall and winter, hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices will be busy caring for flu, COVID-19 and RSV patients. Many people with IDD have specific chronic conditions that make getting the flu more serious. They are at increased risk of respiratory disease, pneumonia, and death from the flu. Getting a flu vaccine is the first step in protecting themselves from respiratory illnesses. Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you. Including those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illnesses:

• Babies and young children
• Older people
• People with certain chronic health conditions
• Caregivers of people who are at higher risk of getting the flu

A flu vaccine can help keep you from getting sick from the flu. Flu vaccines protect against the three flu viruses that cause the flu each year. Research shows flu vaccines can help protect against getting the flu. There is still a chance you could get the flu even with a vaccine. But if you get the flu vaccine and then you still get the flu, it will generally be a milder case.

No. Flu can be a serious disease. Especially among:

• Young children
• Older adults
• People with certain chronic health conditions, like asthma, heart disease, or diabetes.
• Pregnant people

Any influenza virus infection can carry a risk of serious complications. Or hospitalization or death. Even among healthy children and adults. Therefore, getting a flu vaccine is a safer choice. Safer than risking illness.

There are many reasons why someone might get flu symptoms. They may have symptoms even after they have received a vaccine:

• Some people can become ill from other viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19.
• You can be exposed to the flu before getting a vaccine. Or exposed to flu viruses during the two-week period after the vaccine. During this time, the body is developing immune protection.
• You may be exposed to a different influenza virus. A flu vaccine may not work as well against a different influenza virus.
• Flu vaccines vary in how they work. Some people who get a vaccine still get sick.

You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a flu vaccine, at the same doctor’s visit. There is no recommended waiting period between getting a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines.

Studies conducted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic indicate that it is safe to get both a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same doctor’s visit. A CDC study showed people who got a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time were slightly more likely to have a reaction. Reactions included fatigue, headache, and muscle ache, but these reactions were mostly mild and went away quickly. Research has shown that it’s safe to receive both vaccines at the same time.

Getting a flu vaccine will not prevent COVID-19. But, getting a flu vaccine is very important, especially for those with IDD. It is expected that the flu and the virus that causes COVID-19 will spread at the same time, along with other respiratory viruses, including RSV. It is also possible that people may get flu and COVID-19 at the same time if both viruses are circulating. Flu vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization, and death.

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season. Caregivers and residents in long-term care facilities should also be sure to get their flu vaccine.

In addition to getting the COVID-19 vaccine, there are some unique respiratory virus immunization recommendations for older adults:

• All adults should have a current flu vaccine, but adults aged 65 years or older are recommended to receive a high dose or adjuvanted flu vaccine (for example, Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent inactivated flu vaccine, Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine, or Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted inactivated flu vaccine).
• All adults age 75 and older and adults age 60-74 years who are at increased risk for severe RSV disease should receive a single dose of RSV vaccine.

Yes. Visiting a doctor or healthcare professional can check for A and B-type seasonal flu viruses as well as, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. They check for flu and COVID-19 at the same time using one sample, like a nasal or throat swab. This helps doctors quickly find out which virus is causing your symptoms. As of late September 2024, residential households in the U.S. are eligible for an order of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. Visit: https://special.usps.com/testkits. Additionally, you can purchase at-home COVID-19 tests from pharmacies and other retailers.

While flu viruses are detected year-round in the United States, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter. Flu activity often begins to increase in October. Most of the time flu activity is highest between December and February. Although, activity can last as late as May.

You should get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begin spreading in your community. It takes about two weeks after you get a vaccine for your body to help protect you against the flu. Make plans to get vaccinated early in the fall. You want to get a vaccine before flu season begins. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October.

There is no evidence that getting a flu vaccine increases your risk of getting COVID-19.

If you do not have a doctor that you regularly see, flu vaccines are also available at health departments and drug stores. You can use Vaccines.gov to find drug stores near you.

Anyone can get the flu (even healthy people) and serious problems related to flu can happen at any age, but some people are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick. Flu-related complications include:

• Sepsis
• Pneumonia
• Myocarditis (swelling of the heart)
• Encephalitis (swelling of the brain)
• Myositis or rhabdomyolysis (swelling of muscle tissues)
• Multi-organ failure (ex. respiratory and kidney failure)
• Make current chronic medical problems worse (ex. People with asthma may experience severe asthma attacks when having the flu)

If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home. You should also avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Since you are in a higher risk group for complications from the flu, contact your healthcare provider as soon as you suspect that you may have the flu.

If you experience any of the below emergency warning signs of the flu, go to the emergency room:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Persistent dizziness or confusion
• Seizures
• Not urinating
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens
• Worsening of chronic medical conditions

The CDC recommends that you stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren’t better explained by another cause. These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache among others.

You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
• You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5 days. This includes proper hygiene, wearing masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you will be around other people indoors. This is especially important to protect people from factors that increase their risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses.

Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that makes you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.

CDC recommends that people at higher risk of serious flu complications should be treated with flu antiviral drugs if they get sick with flu. Antiviral drugs can make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious complications from the flu. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines. These prescription medicines work best when taken within 48 hours after being diagnosed with the flu. Contact your healthcare provider if you suspect you have the flu and are at higher risk of serious flu complications.

You do not need to wear a face covering or mask when you get the flu shot as long as you are not sick.

Special Olympics is focused on helping athletes practice prevention from possible exposure to both the flu and COVID-19. Special Olympics encourages everyone to follow CDC recommendations to get a flu vaccine. The organization has adapted existing flu education materials from the CDC. These materials include printable posters, key messages, and social media graphics. All of these materials can be found here.

Special Olympics Health is supported by cooperative agreement #NU27DD000021 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contents of this report are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.

Vaccine Finder
#DYK: Getting a flu shot is the most important action a person with disabilities can take to prevent flu & its complications. Find a flu shot provider near you: https://www.vaccines.gov.

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Know the common symptoms of flu
Influenza (also known as flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who are sick with flu often feel some or all of these symptoms; fever* or feeling feverish/chills (though, it's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue (or tiredness).

Cough? Fever? Body aches? You could have a respiratory illness. If you have flu-like symptoms, stay home except to get medical care. Most people will recover in a few days to less than two weeks. If you are very sick or at high risk of getting very sick from flu, talk to your health care provider. Join the fight against flu. Learn more at https://www.cdc.gov/fightflu.