Doctors urging everyone to get a flu shot as soon as possible.
/ Dora Scheidell
SYRACUSE -- If you've noticed a lot more people sniffling, sneezing, and coughing lately, you're not alone. Matthew Rokahr is recovering from a bad cold before flu season really gets underway.
"I got my flu shot a month ago and I came down a couple weeks ago with a strain. It was sore neck, sore shoulder, sore stomach. And it took two weeks to actually get rid of it," says Rokahr.
Dr. Simmons of Upstate Medical University thinks this year the symptoms of the common cold are more severe.
"What's going around now seems to not just be more severe, but a bit more prolonged than at other times," says Simmons.
A common myth is that getting your flu shot actually causes a cold.
"The flu shot has nothing to do with coughs and colds. It has everything to do with the flu and preventing the flu. If you had a flu shot and you get a cold, it's a coincidence," says Simmons.
When it comes to preventing the common cold, follow common sense steps like washing your hands, covering your mouth, and avoid touching your face.
"Most often colds are something we give ourselves. We blame them on other people but in fact, it's our breakdown in our own protection that causes a cold," says Simmons.
Roslyn Antonacci learned the importance of washing her hands while volunteering at St. Joseph's Hospital.
"Whenever I go into my home, even from being out shopping like this, the first thing I do is wash my hands," says Antonacci.
While it may sound simple, washing your hands is advice that shouldn't be sneezed at.
