LANGLEY AFB, VA. –
Most people consider cold and flu the same thing, but they are actually two separate illnesses. The average American adult catches about two to four colds a year. Children catch between five and nine colds each year, with preschoolers the most susceptible, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A cold often includes a runny nose, sneezing, coughing and mild aches and pains.
The flu, while less common, is more severe. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized yearly with influenza and flu-related complications, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The flu usually features the same symptoms as a cold, but the symptoms are more severe and can include fever, severe muscle aches, and exhaustion.
To treat cold and flu, doctors recommend the following: bed rest, plenty of fluids, aspirin or acetaminophen for fevers and over-the-counter medication to temporarily relieve symptoms.
People who need care advice or an official pass, or quarters authorization, from work or school, the 1st Fighter Wing Hospital offers a no-wait, no-appointment, walk-in clinic to families at the following locations and times:
Active-duty personnel:
-1st FW Hospital lobby: Mondays through Fridays from 7:30-9:30 a.m.
-Blue Clinic: Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30-11 a.m. and 1- 3 p.m., Fridays 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.
Non-active-duty (Use clinic assigned to):
-1st FW Clinic at NASA: Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 5 p.m., Fridays from 9 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 5 p.m.
-Bethel Clinic: Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 3 p.m. and Fridays from 9 - 11 a.m. and 1 - 3 p.m.