QUIZ – What’s Your Flu IQ?

How much do you know about the differences between a cold and influenza? Let’s find out. Take a look at the statements below – are they true or false? Try to give the quiz a shot before looking at the answers below. You can write “T or F” for each number on a piece of paper and check your answers at the end. No scrolling down!

1. The flu shot can actually give you the flu.
2. Influenza is only a bad cold.
3. 20-30% of people who are carrying and spreading the flu have no symptoms.
4. Antibiotics can treat the flu.
5. You can catch the flu more than once.
6. You can’t tell where or when the flu will strike.
7. The flu is spread via contaminated droplets from a sick person to a healthy one.

Scroll for answers…

Keep scrolling…

No peeking!

1. FALSE. The flu shot will not give you the flu but getting a flu shot annually will drastically reduce your chances of catching influenza, a serious illness. You may have some side effects such as general malaise, but it is not the same thing as having influenza. It is only your immune system responding to the vaccine.
2. FALSE. Influenza is much more than just a cold. While both are contagious respiratory illnesses, colds are much more common and less serious, generally affecting the nasal passages, throat and sometimes producing a mild cough or stomach illness. The flu often causes much more intense symptoms and can morph into life-threatening pneumonia. Another difference is that a cold can strike any time of year whereas the flu generally follows a pattern, striking during ‘flu season’.
3. TRUE. Most people believe the flu can only be transmitted when a person is showing symptoms or actively sick, but that is not true.
4. FALSE. Antibiotics are powerless against the flu as it is a virus. However, it is important to seek medical attention if you have the flu and your symptoms change or linger. Pneumonia or another serious bacterial infection can develop as a complication of the flu, requiring antibiotics and potentially hospitalization.
5. TRUE. You can catch the flu several times during your lifetime, however, usually not right away as the antibodies produced while fighting it off will still be present for a period of time which may help you avoid catching it again too soon after.
6. FALSE. There is predictive technology available to help people keep track of where and when the flu will strike. It is not a 100% sure-thing, but it will certainly help you prepare!
7. TRUE. A person who has the flu can spread contaminated droplets to a healthy person via human contact, sneezes or coughs, or by cross-contaminating surfaces.

We hope you got 8/8! Check out our quiz on depression next. Thanks for visiting DocChat! Our board-certified physicians are standing by 24/7/365 to assist you with any medical inquiries.