Each year, respiratory viruses such as flu, Covid and VRS cause millions of people to get sick and thousands of people die.
It can reduce your risk vaccinating.
Did you know?
People over 65 and immunocompromised people should receive a second COVID vaccine 6 months after the first dose.
Who is at risk of respiratory infections?
Everyone runs the risk of respiratory infections, but some people have a higher risk of serious diseases or hospitalization.
It is considered high risk of suffering a serious case of flu or covid if:
-
You have 65 years or more
-
She is pregnant
-
Have a weakened immune system.
-
It has certain health conditions, such as:
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Heart disease
-
Obesity
-
Asthma
It is considered high risk of suffering a serious case of VRS if:
-
Is 75 years or older
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They are between 60 and 74 years old and live in a long -term care center
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It has certain health conditions, such as:
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Heart, pulmonary and renal diseases
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Obesity
-
Diabetes
-
Asthma
How can you differentiate between these infections?
The flu, the Covid and the VRs cause similar symptoms that can vary from slight to mortals.
Common symptoms of these 3 viruses include:
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Fever
-
Cough
-
Headache
-
Nasal secretion or congestion
Other symptoms are more common in certain viruses than in others.
|
Flu |
COVID-19 |
RSV |
|
|
Muscle pain/body pain |
Often |
Sometimes |
Hardly ever |
|
Difficulty breathing |
Hardly ever |
Often |
Sometimes |
|
Fatigue or weakness |
Often |
Often |
Hardly ever |
|
Fever |
Often (it can be high, up to 103 or 104) |
Sometimes (slight fever of 99 or 100) |
Sometimes (slight fever of 99 or 100) |
|
Loss of taste or smell. |
Hardly ever |
Sometimes |
Hardly ever |
|
Sore throat |
Sometimes |
Often |
Hardly ever |
|
Sibilations |
Hardly ever |
Hardly ever |
Often |
|
Shivers |
Often |
Often |
Hardly ever |
|
Sneezing |
Sometimes |
Sometimes |
Sometimes |
|
Diarrhea/vomiting |
Sometimes |
Sometimes |
Hardly ever |
One way to help you determine what viruses it has is the speed with which the symptoms appear.
-
The flu appears quickly and feels throughout the body.
-
Covid and RSV often begin slowly with colds, followed the next day or two by cough and headache.
The only way to know for sure is by testing.
Vaccines to protect you from the flu, the covid and the VRS
Vaccines can help maintain mild symptoms and help prevent serious diseases and hospitalizations.
Flu and Covid vaccines are recommended for:
-
All over 6 months
It is especially important to get vaccinated if you are 65 years old or more or have a high risk of serious illness.
The RSV vaccine is recommended for adults:
-
75 years and more
-
60 years or more in nursing homes or with certain health conditions
-
32 to 36 weeks pregnancy during the RSV season
This educational resource was created with the support of Novavax, member of the Healthywomen Corporate Advisory Council.
