VIDEO:Fall Is Here And The Sniffles And Sneezes Are Too

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Fall is here and so are the sniffles and sneezes.

Body aches and congestion, we all know the feeling, and it’s a feeling that’s very familiar this time of year.

The cold and the flu are both viruses with almost identical symptoms, but there’s one big difference between the two.

“Typically, the severity of the symptoms. If you feel a little bad, you’ve got a cough and a cold, and your temperature doesn’t get too terribly high, most of the time, that’s the virus that is the cold, but if you start having severe body aches, and very high temperatures, you should see a physician to make sure it’s not the flu,” says Noxubee County Hospital Physician, Dr. James Medlin.

If it’s not the flu, it’s not too late to get the flu shot. CDC recommends getting the shot before the end of October, but some might think getting the shot means you get the flu, but Dr. Medlin says that’s a myth.

“The virus that’s used in the flu shot is a dead virus, so you can’t actually get the flu itself from that. Now, some people do get some symptoms of fever, cough, congestion, and most of the time, very minor basis, but you don’t actually, or should not actually get a typical case of the flu with the vaccine that we use now.”

One big change this year is that the flu shot means the flu shot. That’s because the nasal spray flu vaccine is no longer an option. Registered Nurse Sam Kratzer says that’s because it’s not as effective as the shot.

“It will definitely increase their risk. Obviously, I feel if you don’t have the vaccine, you are at higher risk of getting the flu, and I do know from being a nurse that there will be a lot that won’t get it because they’re scared of getting stuck by a needle.”

If you have cold like symptoms, Dr. Medlin advises taking ibuprofen or other over the counter cold medicines, and says to keep an eye on your fever to make sure it doesn’t rise.