How Long Does It Take to Get Flu Test Results?
Flu test results typically take 15 to 30 minutes when using rapid antigen tests or point-of-care rapid molecular PCR tests at an urgent care facility. While rapid swab results are delivered during your initial office visit, traditional laboratory-based PCR tests sent to an off-site lab can take anywhere from 1 to 3 days to return […]
How Accurate Are Rapid Flu Tests?
Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) have a sensitivity of 50% to 70%—meaning false negatives can occur—and a specificity of 95% to 99%, making false positives very rare according to clinical guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In short, you can firmly trust a positive flu test result, but a negative result […]
When Should You Get Tested for COVID-19 If You Have Symptoms?
You should test for COVID-19 immediately as soon as you develop any symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FDA guidelines, early testing helps confirm infection right away, prevents accidental transmission to others, and allows high-risk individuals to begin prescription antiviral treatments (like Paxlovid) within the critical 5-day treatment window. […]
Do You Need a Test to Know If You Have the Flu?
No, you do not always need a test to know if you have the flu. Healthcare providers can often diagnose influenza based on your clinical symptoms and medical judgment during active flu season, particularly when you present with a sudden high fever, chills, severe muscle aches, and a dry cough. However, rapid viral testing is […]
Why Does My Cough Get Worse at Night?
Your cough gets worse at night mostly because lying flat allows mucus to pool in the back of your throat, gravity triggers postnasal drip, dry bedroom air irritates sensitive airways, and stomach acid is more likely to travel up the esophagus (GERD). Furthermore, natural bodily changes during sleep—such as a drop in cortisol levels and […]
Can an Upper Respiratory Infection Turn Into Pneumonia?
Yes, an upper respiratory infection (URI)—such as a common cold, influenza, COVID-19, or RSV—can turn into pneumonia. This occurs when a viral infection in the upper airways weakens the immune system or damages mucosal linings, allowing pathogens to travel down into the lungs or permitting a secondary bacterial infection to take root deep inside the […]
Can Allergies Cause a Persistent Cough?
Yes, allergies can cause a persistent or chronic cough. When airborne allergens like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, or mold irritate your immune system, your body produces excess mucus in the nasal passages. This mucus drips down the back of the throat—a condition known as postnasal drip—which continuously tickles and inflames the airway, triggering a […]
Can You Have the Flu and COVID-19 at the Same Time?
Yes, you can have COVID-19 and the flu at the same time—a dual viral condition often referred to as a co-infection or “flurona.” Because influenza viruses and the SARS-CoV-2 virus target the respiratory system through distinct biological pathways, contracting one virus does not make you immune to the other, and simultaneous infections can lead to […]
How Long Is the Flu Contagious?
People with the flu are generally contagious starting 1 day before symptoms appear and remain capable of spreading the virus for 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. However, young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems can shed the virus and remain contagious for up to 10 days or longer after initial […]
How Do Respiratory Infections Spread?
Respiratory infections spread primarily through infectious airborne aerosols, respiratory droplets generated during coughing or sneezing, direct person-to-person contact, and contact with contaminated surfaces (fomites). When an infected individual talks, coughs, sneezes, or breathes, microscopic viral or bacterial particles enter the air and can be inhaled by nearby individuals or land on mucous membranes of the […]