A Pediatrician Offers Tips For Managing This Year’s Cold & Flu (& COVID-19 & RSV) Season

Does winter ever leave you feeling a little icked out? Everyone around you is constantly coughing, sneezing, blowing their nose, or sucking on a cough drop. Germs seem to set up shop in every nook and cranny of the planet, and before you know it, someone in the house gets a scratchy throat or a drippy nose, and the guessing and testing game begins.

Is it a cold? COVID? Flu? RSV? Do I need to see the doctor?

If you’re anything like me, you might be thinking, “Who even knows? How can we tell? And more importantly, can someone, anyone, please give us a manual for managing this winter’s viral hellscape?”

The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is yes. Dr. Preeti Parikh, a practicing pediatrician and the Executive Medical Director at GoodRx, is here with answers to help get us through the coming months.

The Flu, COVID-19, & RSV Trifecta Or “Tripledemic,” Explained

Dr. Parikh encourages parents to be proactive about their family’s health this upcoming season, as we continue to navigate a tripledemic. “Last year, during the cold and flu season we saw a spike in RSV, the flu, and COVID-19 cases all at the same time,” she tells Romper. “This trifecta was widely referred to as the ‘tripledemic.’”

While we can’t predict if this season will be as serious as last year, we do expect to see cases of all three illnesses again, explains Dr. Parikh. She says that with a few simple steps, parents can be prepared for whatever comes their way.

Build Your Protective Arsenal: Get Vaccinated

The tripledemic might be a fact of life every winter from now on, but we’re not defenseless. “Getting vaccinated is hands down the very best thing people can do to prevent illness in themselves and prevent it from spreading to vulnerable people, like the elderly, young children, and people with severe illnesses such as cancer or other chronic conditions,” Dr. Parikh says.

Get those flu shots, COVID boosters, and any other vaccines your family is eligible to receive, such as RSV and pneumonia for certain populations.

Vaccines don’t have to break the bank. GoodRx has flat fees for flu shots through partnerships with Walgreens, Walmart, and Weis. Check the GoodRx app or go to GoodRx.com to find specific discounts in your area.

Take It Back To Basics With Good Hygiene

Dr. Parikh also recommends taking standard disease prevention measures like hand washing, avoiding touching your face, staying home when sick, and masking in crowded places.

Washing hands thoroughly, coughing into the bend of your elbow, and using tissues when you sneeze are all important lessons for kids (and grown-ups!) to help reduce the spread of disease during cold, flu and COVID season.

And When Someone In Your Family Inevitably Gets Sick Anyway, Find Affordable Treatments

Despite your best efforts, someone might still end up sick. Perhaps Sneezy Susan thinks cubicles are germ-proof. Maybe you forgot to expressly tell your child not to share a juice box with their sniffling friend on the playground.

However it happens, when sickness hits, you’ll need medications, which can get pricey. Don’t let that stop you from seeking care. You’ve got options. “GoodRx can help parents save money on prescriptions like antibiotics and antivirals,” Dr. Parikh tells Romper. “A Z-pak, for example, can be found for as low as $8.05, or generic Tamiflu for as low as $20.82 using GoodRx.”

Stay Informed With Trustworthy Sources

A little cold and flu season education might be just what you need to give you a sense of power over the incoming pathogen invasion. “GoodRx Health has a team of doctors, pharmacists, and healthcare experts who write health content that consumers can understand,” Dr. Parikh says. “We even have a cold and flu hub where parents can learn about everything they need to survive cold and flu season — articles and medication savings — all in one place.”

Cold and flu season is nothing new; parents deal with it every year. Armed with information and a little help from GoodRx, you can proceed with confidence, knowing that whatever the winter throws at your family, you’ve got this.