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Influenza vs. COVID-19
What you need to know.
Getting your annual flu vaccine helps reduce your risk of contracting influenza and its severity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, some symptoms of influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses are similar. Any differences between these illnesses cannot be made based on symptoms alone. Testing is needed to tell which illness it is and to confirm a diagnosis.
Click here for more on COVID-19 testing at Doctors Care.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Flu
What are seasonal flu symptoms?
Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly and people who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
- fever* or feeling feverish/chills
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- muscle or body aches
- headaches
- fatigue (tiredness)
- some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
How will I know if I have flu or COVID-19?
Differences between flu and COVID-19 illnesses cannot be made based on symptoms alone. Testing is needed to tell which illness it is and to confirm a diagnosis.
For more on COVID-19 testing at Doctors Care click here.
Will a flu vaccine protect me against COVID-19?
Flu vaccines are not designed to protect against COVID-19. Flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death. The flu vaccine does not prevent you from getting COVID-19 nor will it make you more likely to contract COVID-19 or other respiratory infections.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection against COVID-19 and will not affect ones eligibility for getting a flu vaccine.
For more on COVID-19 vaccines available at Doctors Care click here.
Should I still get a flu vaccine if COVID-19 is spreading in my community?
Yes. Getting a flu vaccine is an essential part of protecting your health and your family’s health every year. For flu vaccinations, you may walk-in to any Doctors Care center—no appointments needed.
Check-in online at any location.
If I get sick with flu, am I at higher risk of contracting COVID-19?
Since COVID-19 is still a relatively new illness, there is little information about how flu illness might affect a person’s risk of getting COVID-19. However, it is known that people can be infected with flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 at the same time.
Getting a flu vaccine is the best protection against flu and its potentially serious complications, and getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the best protection against COVID-19.
Can I get a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time?
Yes. Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be administered at the same time.
For COVID-19 vaccinations, you must register through the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Click here for more information about vaccine registration.
For flu vaccinations, you may walk-in to any Doctors Care center—no appointments needed. Check-in online at any location.
Please note, getting a COVID-19 vaccine does not affect eligibility for getting a flu vaccine.
High Risk Patients*
As a reminder, people at greater risk of severe disease or complications when infected are:
*Please make your healthcare provider aware if you qualify as a high-risk patient, or if you are the guardian of a patient who is high-risk.
