5.    You can take steps to prevent the flu.

According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, healthy habits can help to prevent the flu. Obviously, one of these is taking the time to get vaccinated. It's important to wash your hands regularly with soap and water or to use an alcohol-based hand rub. Further, cover both your mouth and nose when you sneeze, cough or blow your nose. This can be done with a shirt sleeve or a Kleenex. Finally, disinfect any surfaces that are touched often. This includes toys. After all, kids may not wash their hands before touching those favorite play items.

6.    There is a difference between a cold and the flu.

According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, there are differences between symptoms of a cold and the flu. And there are also similarities, making it difficult to differentiate between the flu.

The first difference is that flu is said to be worse than a cold in terms of symptoms. For example, colds rarely produce fevers in adults, but the flu does. This fever is generally 102 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can reach 104 degrees. This symptom is said to last between three and four days.

Colds rarely cause headaches, but the flu does. Further, the muscle aches seen with the flu are rare with a cold. And extreme exhaustion is not seen in a cold as it is with the flu. Shared symptoms between cold and flu are runny nose, sneezing, sore throat and cough.