The Cold and Flu Widespread in New York: Here’s How to Tell the Difference

Multiple respiratory illnesses are making lives miserable across New York, but how can you tell them apart?

While winter typically sees increasing cases of the common cold, the flu, RSV, and COVID-19; there has also been a rise in pneumonia and whooping cough cases this year.

The Oneida County Health Department says the surge in such cases is likely due to the holidays, where people gather in close proximity and spread germs.

This may be due to many of these illnesses sharing symptoms with the common cold, causing people to underestimate what they may actually have.

If a person actually has the flu or RSV when they think they only have a cold, they're likely to keep going about their regular routine and that, in turn, helps spread those viruses.

That is why Oneida County Health is tasking the public to ask themselves if they're sick: Is it a cold or flu?

The department released a helpful infographic to show the difference between the two illnesses.

One of the easiest ways to determine which one you may have is how quickly the symptoms emerge.

If you wake up one day feeling like you've been hit by a bus, that is likely the flu since symptoms develop abruptly.  Meanwhile, if an itchy nose gradually develops into coughing and sneezing, that's likely a cold.

The department also says the flu presents additional symptoms that usually don't accompany a cold, such as fevers and chills.

Health officials are urging those experiencing signs of a flu infection to stay home to prevent the disease from spreading.

According to those who caught the flu, they say this year's strain is a real doozy. Friends and family say they were bedridden and sometimes even had to go to urgent care because their fevers wouldn't break.

Most worrying is the recovery time, with everyone telling me it took them almost a week or longer to turn the corner.

Respiratory Illnesses Aren't the Only Threat to New Yorkers' Health

While this year's flu is more potent than normal, a rising number of people are coming down with multiple illnesses at once.

The dreaded "tripledemic" is back, meaning there's an increased likelihood of an individual coming down with sicknesses like the flu, RSV, and COVID-19 at the same time.

The most common golden trio, however, seems to be the flu, pneumonia, and the norovirus - also known as "the winter vomiting bug."

Read More: Surging Number of New Yorkers Battling 3 Illnesses at Once

Those who came down with the norovirus - myself included - say this year's strain is terrible. I won't go into details, but I am confident your imagination can work its magic.

If you come in contact with the norovirus, such as by touching a contaminated surface, you cannot wash the germs away with hand sanitizer. The virus can only be eradicated by washing your hands with soap and warm water.

If you don't want to catch any of these nasty bugs, the best thing to do is keep washing those hands and to not put your fingers anywhere near your face.

It's also recommended to do your shopping outside of peak hours to reduce interacting with strangers who might think they're battling a cold when, in fact, they have something way worse.