These are the most common symptoms associated with the common cold, the flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus infection. Any specific case may not have every symptom listed or may also have less common symptoms. This graphic is for information, not medical advice; if you are concerned about your symptoms, seek help from a medical professional. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

MOULTRIE — Moultrians should practice washing their hands and other illness-preventative measures as viral illness cases rise, according to medical officials.

Flu cases are widespread throughout Georgia earlier than usual in recent years, according to a press release shared by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

This statement also holds true for the Colquitt County area, according to Dr. Ethan McBrayer, a family medicine physician at Sterling Group Primary Care.

“It seems lately, we’ve seen a big rise in common influenza cases here. At least this past week in this community,” McBrayer said Thursday. “Of course, we’re getting into the flu season…, but we’re getting into that point [where] a lot of the kids are now coming down with it. and we’re kind of seeing some crossover with the adults now.”

The regular flu season begins in early October and can last as late as May the following year. Flu symptoms are typically fever, chills, cough, runny nose, diarrhea, fatigue and body aches. The symptoms and their intensity can vary from person to person but some people can be at serious risk. Children younger than the age of two and elderly people over the age of 65 are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick. People with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and cancer or pregnant patients are also at risk.

McBrayer said that preventative measures like vaccinations and lifestyle modifications are two ways to prevent spreading the viral illness.

“Everyone six months and older is recommended that they have an influenza vaccine.The first thing would be prevention with the vaccination. The next one is going to be kind of like your lifestyle modifications, like avoiding people that are sick,” he explained.

The flu is contagious and can be spread through respiratory droplets. It’s recommended to wash your hands after touching high-traffic areas like doorknobs and surface areas and avoid touching your mouth and eyes.

The flu is a viral infection, not a bacterial infection, so antibiotics will not help as a form of treatment, he said. Instead, using antiviral drugs, Tamiflu being the main option, is recommended.

“There’s some other ones out there that just really more or less shorten the course. The flu is not a bacterial infection. It’s viral so antibiotics are not going to help, and really, it’s a self-limiting virus where most people recover on their own,” he said. “We don’t typically treat people that have flu, unless, outside of that 48-hour window if they’re acutely infected, but we do it oftentimes [to prevent] exposure.”

He added, “The biggest thing right now that we know is that you need to get your flu shot. You need to do whatever you can to prevent this from becoming even worse [in] the community because the reality of it is that if we vaccinate ourselves we protect not only ourselves but other people that are around.”

Common cold cases are also rising and have similar milder symptoms, preventative methods and contagiousness to the flu.

“There are hundreds of thousands of different strains of viruses that could cause the … common cold. A lot of times these common colds are viral, and they don’t really warrant an antibiotic for it,” McBrayer said.

Common colds will typically last around seven to 10 days, and the symptoms will get worse before they get better. McBrayer recommends treating the symptoms.

“If it’s an allergy component, you could do like an antihistamine or like a nasal steroid. That may help with that congestion that you have going on there,” he said.

Parents should also be aware of the rising cases of respiratory syncytial viral infections (RSV). It can affect people of all ages, but medical officials primarily see the illness in children under 5 years old.

RSV makes children overproduce mucus leading to severe congestion. The illness lasts for approximately seven to 10 days with a peak at days three to five.

McBrayer explained, “The biggest thing with RSV that we see is that these kids can sometimes have rapid breathing with all the mucus. They’re really working hard to breathe in spite of that congestion, and with that, they wind up getting very dehydrated because they’re exerting so much energy [by] breathing so fast. Our mainstay of treatment in the hospital is not breathing treatments, it’s oftentimes just fluids.”

Parents should do routine suctions with nasal aspirators like the NoseFrida, provide fluids and monitor their child’s breathing habits. If they start to breathe more rapidly to where their ribcage is visible, then parents should immediately seek medical attention.

Premature babies are at risk for RSV due to weakened lungs and immune systems. They are often given the SYNAGIS injection to help protect them from the illness.

McBrayer continues to see cases related to the COVID-19 rise and said it poses the same risks, treatment and preventative measures to people with chronic illnesses as the flu.

The suggested COVID-19 preventative methods are to get the vaccination and booster shots to help protect not only yourself but also others from the illness and get tested when you start showing symptoms.

“There are incubation periods for all of these viruses where you are acutely infected with it,” McBrayer said, “[but] you don’t know it though, and you’re shedding it to everyone around you. I think we have to kind of think about the community that we’re in and be considerate of that [by] wearing a mask [and] making sure that we’re trying to stay clean.”