Cold & Flu
Cold and flu have similar symptoms, however flu symptoms are generally more severe.
With the symptoms being so similar it’s important to know the main difference between the two. A flu will appear very quickly, while a cold will take a few days to appear. A cold will mainly affect the nose and throat while the flu will affect more than that. Finally, the flu will leave you exhausted and unable to carry out your normal routine, while if you are suffering from a cold you can still go about your day.
| What are the symptoms of a flu? | What are the symptoms of a cold? |
| Headache High fever Muscle aches Weakness Coughing Nausea or vomiting Diarrhoea Sore throat Difficulty sleeping Loss of appetite |
Sore throat |
How can you treat a cold?
As a cold is a virus, unfortunately, it can’t be treated with antibiotics. You can help manage your cold by drinking plenty of fluids, eating healthy, keeping yourself warm and getting plenty of rest. You can also visit your local LloydsPharmacy and our highly trained colleagues can suggest medications or other products that will help with your symptoms. We have a range of nasal sprays, throat lozenges, pain medication and cough medicine that will help give you relief.
How can you treat the flu?
Unfortunately, the flu can only be treated at home and no antibiotics will help. Similar to the treatment of a cold, drinking plenty of fluids, eating healthy and getting plenty of rest will help treat the flu. Our highly trained colleagues can also suggest products and medications that will help give you relief from your symptoms such as muscle aches, high temperatures and pains.
Ensuring you receive the flu vaccination each year will help prevent you from getting the flu. Your local LloydsPharmacy provides this service in all our pharmacies.
- Persons aged 50 years and older
- Persons 6 months – 69 years old with a chronic illness requiring regular follow up, e.g. Chronic respiratory disease (including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, moderate or severe asthma and bronchopulmonary dysplasia), chronic heart disease (including acute coronary syndrome), chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, haemoglobinopathies, chronic liver disease, chronic neurological disease (including multiple sclerosis and hereditary and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system)
- Those who are immunosuppressed due to disease or treatment including those with missing or non-functioning spleens;
- All cancer patients
- Patients with any condition that can compromise respiratory function, e.g. Spinal cord injury, seizure or other neuromuscular disorder, especially those attending special schools or day centres
- Children and adults with down syndrome
- Those with morbid obesity, i.e. Body mass index over 40
- All pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy (QIV IM vaccine only)
- Healthcare workers
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-stay institutions
- Carers
- Household contacts of at-risk persons
- Out-of-home care givers to at-risk persons
- People with regular contact with pigs, poultry or water fowl
- Children with moderate to severe neurodevelopment disorders such as cerebral palsy and intellectual disability
- Children on long-term aspirin (because of Reye’s syndrome).
References
*HSE and The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC)
More Information
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