As we enter into the heart of cold and flu season, it is important to be on the lookout for any signs of illness for your entire family. A single cold or the flu could sneak in and spread throughout your household if you aren’t careful.

While it is impossible to completely prevent illnesses, taking preventive steps can help you stay healthy. This is especially true when strep throat, the flu and COVID-19 cases are rising all around us.

If you start to feel sick this season, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Hickory. We explain a few of the more common illnesses of the season below, so read on to learn more.

Are Strep Throat, the Flu and COVID-19 the Same Infection?

Infections are common at this time of year because they are most easily spread when people are in close contact with each other. More time indoors means we are all closer than usual and a cough or a sneeze can lead to an outbreak really quickly. You can also contract infections by touching an infected surface and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

COVID-19 and the flu are viral infections while strep throat is bacterial, but they can all start out with similar symptoms. A fever, headache, sore throat and body aches can all appear relatively quickly when you start feeling sick. Come see us for a rapid test right away!

Rapid Tests We Perform at AFC Hickory

• COVID-19
• Influenza
• Strep throat

How Can My Infection Be Treated?

Knowing what illness you have is crucial to figuring out the right treatment! One of our rapid tests can diagnose you in just a few minutes, and then we can work on the proper treatment plan for you. Strep throat infections are often tackled with a round of antibiotics while viral infections are a bit trickier to treat.

Since viral infections don’t respond to antibiotics, the treatment for them requires rest, fluids and maybe an antiviral drug treatment to help control your symptoms. In any case, isolating yourself can help keep the infection from spreading to your family or to the general public.

Symptoms for Both COVID-19 and the Flu

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose
• Fever

Need help determining what is making you sick? Stop by AFC Urgent Care Hickory for a rapid test.