Cold and Flu Season

Prevention Strategies and When to Seek Care


Most of us know how quickly it can happen.

Someone starts coughing. A child comes home from school with a runny nose. A coworker mentions they are not feeling well. Before long, you may find yourself wondering, “Is this just a cold, or is it something more?”

Cold and flu season is part of life, especially when families are sharing classrooms, workplaces, activities, and plenty of indoor time. While there is no way to avoid every virus, there are practical things you can do to lower your risk, protect the people around you, and recognize when it is time to call your healthcare provider.
At Complete Rural Medicine, we want our patients and families to feel comfortable knowing what they can manage at home and when it is better to get medical advice.

First, Know That a Cold and the Flu Are Different

Colds and the flu can look similar at first. Both can cause coughing, a sore throat, a stuffy or runny nose, tiredness, and other respiratory symptoms. The flu, however, can be more intense and may include fever, chills, headache, muscle or body aches, and significant fatigue. Not everyone with the flu will have a fever, and symptoms can vary from person to person.

You do not always need to know exactly which virus caused your symptoms to start taking care of yourself. What matters is paying attention to how you are feeling and whether you are getting better or worse.

A Few Simple Habits Can Go a Long Way

You do not need a complicated routine to help protect yourself and your family during respiratory illness season.

Keep Recommended Vaccines Up to Date

For the 2026–2027 flu season, the CDC recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older who does not have a contraindication. Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of getting sick and can also reduce the risk of serious complications if you do become ill.

For most people, September or October is an ideal time to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Vaccination should continue after October and throughout the flu season as long as flu viruses are circulating and the vaccine is available. Your healthcare provider can help you determine what is appropriate based on your age, health history, and individual circumstances.

Wash Your Hands

It may sound simple, but regular handwashing is still one of the easiest ways to reduce the spread of germs.

Wash your hands after being around someone who is sick, after coughing or sneezing, and before eating or preparing food. When soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer can be a useful alternative.

When possible, try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

Pay Attention to the Air Around You

Respiratory viruses can spread more easily in indoor spaces, particularly when people are close together.

When someone in your household is sick, opening windows when appropriate, improving indoor air circulation, and giving the sick person some space from others can help reduce the spread. A well-fitting mask may also be useful in certain situations, particularly around people who are at higher risk for serious illness.

If You Are Sick, Give Yourself Time to Recover

It can be tempting to push through an illness because work, school, appointments, and family responsibilities do not stop.

But staying home when you are sick can help protect the people around you while also giving your body time to recover.

The CDC recommends returning to normal activities when your symptoms have been improving overall for at least 24 hours, and you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication. Once you return to your usual activities, taking additional precautions for the next five days can help reduce the chance of spreading the illness to others.

When Should You Call Your Healthcare Provider?

Many mild respiratory illnesses can be managed at home with rest, fluids, and supportive care. But sometimes it is worth checking in with your provider.

Consider contacting your healthcare provider if:

  • Your symptoms are severe or concerning.
  • Your symptoms are not improving or continue to get worse.
  • You begin to feel better and then develop a new or worsening fever or cough.
  • A chronic health condition becomes harder to manage while you are sick.
  • You are pregnant, have young children, are an older adult, or have a medical condition that puts you at higher risk for complications.
  • You think you may have the flu and are at higher risk for serious complications.

For people at higher risk of severe flu, early evaluation can be particularly important because antiviral treatment works best when started promptly after symptoms begin.

If you are simply unsure whether what you are experiencing is something you should be seen for, it is okay to call and ask. Sometimes that conversation can provide the reassurance or direction you need.

Know When It Is an Emergency

Some symptoms should not wait for a routine appointment.

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away if you or a family member develops:

  • Trouble breathing or significant shortness of breath
  • Persistent chest pain or pressure
  • New confusion or severe difficulty staying awake
  • Seizures
  • Severe weakness or unsteadiness
  • Signs of severe dehydration or very little or no urination
  • In a child, fast or difficult breathing, bluish lips or face, ribs pulling in with each breath, or a child who is unusually difficult to wake or not interacting normally

These are examples of emergency warning signs and are not a complete list. When something feels seriously wrong, or symptoms are rapidly worsening, seek emergency medical care rather than waiting for a routine appointment.

Take Care of Yourself and the People Around You

Cold and flu season can be inconvenient at best and difficult at worst. When one person in the family gets sick, it can affect school, work, childcare, appointments, and everyone’s normal routine.

The goal is not to avoid every cough, cold, or virus. That is not realistic.

Instead, focus on the things you can control: stay up to date with recommended vaccinations, wash your hands, take reasonable steps to reduce exposure when illness is going around, stay home when you are sick, and pay attention to symptoms that are not improving.

And if you are unsure whether you or your child needs medical care, you do not have to figure it out alone.

At Complete Rural Medicine, our nurse practitioners provide family medicine and preventive care for patients at every stage of life. Our goal is to make healthcare feel approachable, personal, and close to home.

If you have questions about your symptoms or are concerned about your health, contact our team.

Complete Rural Medicine
Compassionate Care. Close to Home.
Your Health. Our Priority.
Friend, Nebraska: 308-646-2471
Lincoln, Nebraska: 402-267-2645
Website: www.completeruralmedicine.com

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, September 1). Interim clinical considerations for the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in the United States.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/hcp/vax-summary/seasonal-influenza-vaccines.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, August 18). Preventing spread of respiratory viruses when you’re sick.
https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/precautions-when-sick.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, August 18). Hygiene and respiratory viruses prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/hygiene.html