As the flu season goes into overdrive, how do you know if you have the viral infection or another of the nasty diseases that tend to be more prevalent in the winter?

In the winter months, it seems few are safe from some kind of illness — flu, COVID-19, norovirus, colds. While many of the germs that cause this misery can circulate throughout the year, scientists think that the winter surge of flu and cold activity may be because we spend more time indoors and the cold,

COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and norovirus—have created what experts are calling a "quad-demic" in the U.S. Here's what to know and how to stay well.

There’s no medication for norovirus. Instead, you’ll need to rehydrate as much as possible with water and other liquids. Seek help if you are dehydrated and notice you have a dry mouth and throat, aren’t urinating as much or feel dizzy when you’re standing up.

While there is a whole host of viruses going around, there are thankfully no new viruses to fret about—the ones we have are bad enough.

Influenza A, COVID-19 and norovirus (stomach flu) are on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But there's a fourth "bug" the public should be aware of: respiratory syncytial virus. RSV causes cold-like symptoms and affects the breathing passages and lungs.

But that’s not always how serious illness plays out. Children who need to be on ventilators, have tracheostomies or experience neurological damage as a result of disease may be affected by their illness for many years or the rest of their lives — and their parents’ and siblings’ lives may also be forever changed.

Norovirus is a foodborne illness that can spread through water and contaminated surfaces and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain for about one to three days. — The common cold ...

Norovirus tends to come on hard and fast. “Nausea and or vomiting are usually the first symptoms of norovirus,” says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

But there is no vaccine for norovirus or the common cold. Another way to keep your defenses against viruses up: Rest Your immune system may not work as well if you’re sleep-deprived, stressed ...

The best way to get through the stomach flu is to rest, stay hydrated and listen to your body, said Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of the infectious disease division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. This might mean not eating solid foods for most of the day.

But there is no vaccine for norovirus or the common cold. Another way to keep your defenses against viruses up: Rest Your immune system may not work as well if you’re sleep-deprived, stressed ...