We may use terms like cold and the flu as if they are the same thing, but there are some key differences between them.

On average, about 20,000 people die from the flu every year. “Mrs. Jones, would you like the flu vaccine today?” “No, doc. When I was younger I would get it and always get sick, so now -- at ...

Winter is here, and with it come higher rates of respiratory illnesses. If you've been struck down recently with a sore ...

Cold prevention: There's no firm evidence that any medication or herb will prevent the common cold, said Rakel. ... Rakel is around a lot of flu, a reason he gets the yearly shot.

Flu: It’s not too late to get a shot, for anyone over 6 months of age. Exceptions: Avoid the shot if you’ve had severe allergic reactions to a past flu vaccine or to vaccine ingredients ...

How long they can "live" (remain infectious) on a surface varies. Some cold and flu viruses can remain infectious on certain surfaces for over a week, but typically, it's more like a few hours.

Further complicating matters is the fact that even if the virus does not mutate from year to year, flu vaccine has to be administered annually, since protection from this killed virus vaccine rarely ...