It’s not just COVID-19 that we’re going to be concerned about this fall. Flu season is right around the corner.
Do you have questions regarding the coronavirus and flu season?
Dr. Rowland Reyna, founder of HealthTexas, is providing some recommendations about how you can be proactive with your health.
1) How early should you get your flu shot?
Get it now, Reyna said.
“I would do it in September -- and do it sooner than later. (What) we don’t want to happen this year is, we don’t want people to be getting both (illnesses) at the same time. It would be terrible and catastrophic.”
Takeaway: Don’t put off getting the flu shot.
2) People say they get sick even with the flu shot. What are your thoughts?
“Nowadays, you may have a little bit of achiness or have a low-grade temperature, a little bit of redness -- but generally, people do not get sick.”
Takeaway: Reyna recommends everyone to get the flu shot.
3) Are drive-thru flu clinics safer than going to your doctor’s office?
“I love drive-thru clinics. HealthTexas is going to be doing that here. Any time you lessen your exposure to a bunch of people, you’re doing a good thing.”
Takeaway: A drive-thru flu clinic is just as safe as going to your doctor’s office.
4) How can you tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19?
Common symptoms of flu and COVID-19 include fever, cough, tiredness/severe fatigue, muscle aches and a sore throat.
COVID-19 also has additional and different symptoms such as loss of smell and taste, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, a skin rash or discoloration of the fingers or toes, shortness of breath, and loss of speech or movement.
Takeaway: On average, it takes five to six days from when someone is infected with the coronavirus for symptoms to show -- however, it can take up to 14 days.
If you need a primary care doctor, HealthTexas has 17 locations to serve the San Antonio region. All doctors are board-certified in internal medicine or family medicine.