Ah, January. The season of new beginnings, icy winds, and respiratory infections. With a “quad-demic” of diseases circulating the country—flu, COVID, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness—it can be difficult to be sure which is making you sick. Throw in the common cold, and you’ve got a symphony of similar symptoms.
The flu is having a moment. Nationwide test positivity was at a season-high 18.7% the week ended Dec. 28, compared to 2.1% six weeks earlier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What’s more, influenza-like illness activity was elevated in all 10 regions the agency surveils. So how can you be sure you have the flu?
