Anyone can get the flu so it’s important to take precautions to protect yourself and others. This includes getting a flu shot.
Anyone with an underlying health condition is more vulnerable to the effects of flu and has a greater chance of being hospitalized. The flu shot is your best defense and is available from your family physician or nurse practitioner, pharmacies, public health unit, and through a variety of flu clinics in your community.
Fight the Flu – How to Avoid Getting or Spreading the Flu
- Get a flu shot
- Wash your hands often
- Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
- Don’t touch your face
- Stay home when you’re sick
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and shared items
Flu vs. Common Cold
The symptoms of the flu and the common cold can be very similar but,
unlike a case of the common cold, the flu can lead to serious health problems like pneumonia. Use this chart to help determine if you have a cold or the flu.
| Symptom | Cold | Flu |
| Fever | Rare |
Common, high (102°F – 104°F or 39°C – 40°C) Starts suddenly, lasts 3 to 4 days Not everyone with the flu gets a fever |
| General aches and pains | Sometimes, mild | Common, often severe |
| Muscle aches | Sometimes, usually mild | Often, can be severe |
| Feeling tired and weak | Sometimes, mild | Common, may last 2 to 3 weeks or more |
| Fatigue (extreme tiredness) | Unusual | Common, starts early |
| Sneezing | Common | Sometimes |
| Complications | Can lead to sinus congestion or earache |
Can lead to pneumonia and respiratory failure, worsen a current chronic respiratory condition, be life-threatening |
| Chest discomfort and/or coughing | Sometimes, mild to moderate | Common, can become severe |
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