The Nation's Emergency Physicians Want You To Know The
Difference Between Them and What You Can Do To Stay Healthy
"It's hard to escape the common cold or the flu," said Dr.
Andrew Sama, president of the American College of Emergency
Physicians. "It can be even more difficult telling their
symptoms apart at times." Seasonal influenza, which is commonly
known as "the flu" may affect between 5 to as high as 20 percent
of the U.S. population depending on the year, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than
200,000 people are hospitalized each year for flu-related
complications and about 36,000 people die each year from the
flu. Older people, young children, pregnant women and those with
certain chronic health conditions are at higher risk. It spreads
from person to person by direct contact or through virus-
infected droplets coughed or sneezed in the air. The best way to
protect against the flu is to get vaccinated every year. The
ideal time for that is usually before flu season