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Cold and Flu Quiz: Too Sick to Go to Work?

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You woke up this morning with a sore throat and a runny nose. You probably have:

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You woke up this morning with a sore throat and a runny nose. You probably have:

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  • Correct Answer:

It's probably a cold, but it could be the flu. Colds and flu share some symptoms, but you'll have milder symptoms with a cold. Fever, severe body aches, and intense fatigue are more likely to be symptoms of flu, although not everyone with flu will have a fever.

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If you have the flu, when are you contagious?

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If you have the flu, when are you contagious?

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With the flu, you’re contagious a day before you start to feel sick and up to seven days after that. So it’s possible to spread the flu before you even realize you have it. Children can spread the flu for more than a week.

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You should stay home from work if:

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You should stay home from work if:

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If you have the flu, you should stay home until your fever has been gone for 24 hours without fever medication. If you have a cold, it really depends on how you feel. If your symptoms are bad enough to interfere with your job performance, you're coughing a lot, or you just feel bad, stay home and rest. Whether you have the cold or flu, remember that you’re contagious. So your co-workers may actually thank you for staying home.

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If you have to go to work when you’re sick, you should:

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If you have to go to work when you’re sick, you should:

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If you really, really have to go to work when you’re sick, try to avoid spreading germs to others: Always cough or sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your elbow and wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water.

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If you feel achy and exhausted and your head hurts, you probably have:

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If you feel achy and exhausted and your head hurts, you probably have:

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Flu symptoms are generally worse than cold symptoms. When you have the flu, you may have a headache, chills, fatigue, body aches, high fever, and a dry cough.

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Flu symptoms usually last:

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Flu symptoms usually last:

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If you get the flu, you can expect to get better in about a week. However, the flu can lead to more serious illnesses, like pneumonia. You should see a health care professional right away if you’re having trouble breathing, if you’re having chest pain, if you’re dizzy or confused, or if your symptoms go away and then come back and get worse.

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When are you most likely to get the flu?

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When are you most likely to get the flu?

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Winter is flu season, although flu outbreaks can happen anytime between October and April. Over the past 35 years, flu activity has usually peaked in February.

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The best way to avoid getting sick with a cold is to:

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The best way to avoid getting sick with a cold is to:

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The No. 1 way to avoid getting sick is to wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you can’t wash your hands. Also, avoid touching your face with your hands and avoid sick people. The best way to avoid the flu is to get an annual flu vaccine.

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Cold symptoms tend to come on gradually, while the flu comes on suddenly.

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Cold symptoms tend to come on gradually, while the flu comes on suddenly.

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You'll often feel a cold coming on over a few days, but the flu hits quickly. Severe symptoms develop within three to six hours.

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The average cold lasts:

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The average cold lasts:

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A cold can last anywhere from two days to two weeks, but most last about a week -- although it can seem a lot longer! See a health care professional if you're sick more than two weeks or if you have a high fever, severe sinus pain, swollen glands, a severe cough, or shortness of breath.

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How many colds can you expect to have in a year?

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How many colds can you expect to have in a year?

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Generally, adults get two to four colds a year. Most children get six to 10 colds a year.

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If you smoke, you're more likely to get a cold.

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If you smoke, you're more likely to get a cold.

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Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to catch colds. And their symptoms may be worse. Being around secondhand smoke also increases your chances of getting a cold.

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When is the best time to get a flu vaccine?

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When is the best time to get a flu vaccine?

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If you get a flu vaccine in the fall, before flu season starts, your body has time to build up its immunity before flu season is at its peak. But better late than not at all: Getting a flu vaccine anytime during flu season offers some protection.

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The flu vaccine can give you the flu.

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The flu vaccine can give you the flu.

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You cannot catch the flu from the flu shot or the nasal-spray flu vaccine. You may get a headache or low fever that lasts a day as a side effect. Also, there may be soreness and swelling from the shot.

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Who's most likely to get complications from the flu?

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Who's most likely to get complications from the flu?

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Young children, especially infants; adults over 65; pregnant women; people with weakened immune systems; and people with chronic conditions such as asthma, lung disease, and heart disease are at highest risk for flu complications. And they can be serious, leading to hospitalization or even death. That's why a flu vaccine is so important for these groups. Caregivers of infants also should get the flu vaccine because it can't be given to children younger than 6 months.

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Congratulations! What you know about colds and flu is nothing to sneeze at.

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You have a lot to learn about colds and flu. Study up and take the quiz again.

Read More on Colds and Flu

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD on October 25, 2011

Sources: Sources

This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information: See additional information

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