Flu Prevention and Treatment So You Don't Miss a Moment

AdventHealth Centra Care is here to support you and your family this flu season, from prevention to recovery. Learn more about flu symptoms, tests and treatments.

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Stay Well This Flu Season With Complete Flu Care

Life is busy. That’s why at AdventHealth Centra Care, we make it easy to find care this flu season for your whole family with convenient hours, affordable costs and locations close to home.

  • Flu Shots

    Whether you’re looking to stay healthy for school, travel or work, we offer $30 flu shots (no insurance necessary) and other immunizations to get you on your way faster. Walk-ins are always welcome.

    Learn More About Flu Shots

  • Flu Testing

    If you’re feeling flu symptoms, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible. Early testing and treatment are key to a quicker recovery. Visit any of our urgent care locations for a rapid flu test.

    Learn More About Flu Testing

  • Flu Treatment

    If the flu’s got you down, treatment is most effective when taken within the first 48 hours of symptom onset. We’re here to help you get better, faster. If you have flu symptoms, reserve a time online or walk in for treatment.

    Learn More About Flu Treatment

  • Immunizations

    Prevention counts, especially with avoidable and seasonal illnesses. In addition to flu shots, we offer other immunizations to protect your health at work, school and while you travel.

  • Onsite Flu Medications

    Taking antiviral flu medication within 48 hours of symptom onset can reduce the severity of symptoms and illness duration. We offer antiviral flu medications onsite, saving you an extra trip to the pharmacy. We also offer other common prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.

  • Walk-Ins Welcome

    We want to make it convenient to fit in wellness when and where you can, which is why you can walk into any of our AdventHealth Centra Care locations for flu shots, rapid testing or treatment. Or, if you’d prefer, reserve a time online. We’re here for you whenever you need us.

Flu Symptoms

It can be hard to know if your high fever and cough are due to the flu or another illness, like a cold or COVID-19. Here are the most common flu symptoms.

Common Symptoms

  • Chills
  • Dry cough
  • Fatigue (sometimes)
  • Fever
  • Headache

Common Symptoms

  • Nasal congestion
  • Runny nose
  • Sneezing
  • Sore throat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Skin rash/discoloration

Occasional Symptoms

  • Lost of taste/smell
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Flu Symptoms in Kids

Flu symptoms can be different for children. Kids often experience nausea, vomiting or stomach pain along with a fever, cough and fatigue. Flu symptoms in children often come on much quicker than a cold.

Symptoms to look for in your children include:

  • Belly pain, nausea or vomiting
  • Body aches
  • Dry cough
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Headaches
  • High-grade fever with chills

Keep Your Family Well This Flu Season

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And when it comes to the flu, this couldn’t be truer. So, how do you keep yourself and your family safe this flu season?

Preventing illness from the flu isn’t a singular activity but requires multiple approaches, including:

  • Vaccination: An annual flu shot is recommended as it prepares your immune system to encounter the virus
  • Hygiene: Wash your hands with soap and water, use hand sanitizer when necessary and cover coughs and sneezes to help curtail the virus's spread
  • Reduce transmission: Avoid close contact with sick individuals and stay home if you're unwell
  • Practice healthy habits: Nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep and minimizing face-touching support your overall immune system
  • Clean and disinfect: Regularly disinfect frequently touched surfaces and stay informed about flu activity in your community

Learn more about how to keep you and your family well this flu season.

Find Flu Testing Near You

If you, your child or a loved one are experiencing flu symptoms such as cough, chills or fever, it’s important to get tested as soon as possible.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between the flu, the common cold, COVID-19 or seasonal allergies. Our urgent care clinics have rapid flu testing, which can tell you whether you have the flu or not in about 15 minutes. Flu treatments are most effective when taken within the first 48 hours of symptom onset, so getting tested and starting treatment early can help you feel better faster.

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Fight the Flu: Get Tested and Treated in One Visit

Whether it’s a cough, congestion, fever, sore throat or body aches, AdventHealth Centra Care is here for you. With flu test results available in just 15 minutes and treatments available onsite, we’ll get you and your loved ones tested and treated in one visit so you can feel better faster.

Why Get a Flu Shot?

Getting a flu shot helps you avoid illness altogether or more serious illness if you do get sick. It’s also an effective way to reduce the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable family, friends and neighbors.

Avoid Complications

Most people who get the flu recover within two weeks. However, some may develop serious and life-threatening complications. The vaccine helps prevent these complications.

Protect Higher-Risk Groups

More vulnerable populations include older adults, pregnant people and those with compromised immune systems. Your flu vaccine protects them too.

Prevention Is the Best Medicine

Getting vaccinated, practicing good hygiene and maintaining healthy habits all year can minimize your flu risk.

A Typical Flu Recovery Timeline

Flu recovery varies from person to person, as it is largely dependent on individual health, flu prevention and any interventions such as antiviral medication. But the average person recovers from the flu in 10 to 14 days.

Remember, the best way to manage the flu is to prevent it in the first place by getting your flu shot and maintaining healthy hygiene and habits. But if you do catch the flu, give yourself the time and care you need to recover.

Your Flu Questions, Answered

  • What are the first signs of the flu?

    The flu usually comes on suddenly, with fever, chills, body aches, headache and a dry cough showing up over a few hours rather than building gradually. A cold tends to start more slowly with milder symptoms. A rapid flu test can confirm whether influenza is behind how you feel.

  • How long does the flu last?

    Most people with the flu begin feeling better within about a week, and many recover within two weeks, though fatigue and a lingering cough can stick around longer. Recovery time varies from person to person, so talk with a healthcare provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve as expected.

  • How long is the flu contagious?

    Adults with the flu are generally considered contagious from about a day before symptoms start through roughly five to seven days after. Children can spread the virus longer. Starting antiviral flu medication does not make someone immediately non-contagious, so staying home while you have a fever helps protect the people around you.

  • How long does a flu test take?

    A rapid flu test at our AdventHealth Centra Care urgent care clinics typically gives results in about 15 minutes. Your physician or advanced practice provider will review the results with you and discuss next steps, which may include antiviral flu medication when medically appropriate.

  • When is the best time to get a flu shot?

    Getting a flu shot in early fall, before flu activity picks up, gives your body time to build protection for the season ahead. A flu shot later in the season can still help, since flu activity often continues into spring.

  • Should I go to urgent care for the flu?

    Urgent care is a good fit for flu symptoms that aren’t life-threatening, such as fever, cough, sore throat and body aches.

    We can evaluate your symptoms, test for the flu and discuss treatment options in the same visit.

    Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for symptoms that may signal an emergency, including severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion, or a child who cannot keep fluids down.

    For more answers, read our full flu FAQs or find an AdventHealth Centra Care location near you.

Find Comprehensive Flu Care Close to Home

If you or a loved one are having flu symptoms or haven't yet gotten vaccinated, come in as soon as possible. If you can get treated and tested in the first two days of symptoms, you'll have the best chance of feeling better fast. Walk in 7 days a week or reserve a time online to get the convenient care you need.

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