It’s not COVID or the flu.
Tis the season of respiratory illnesses.
Theres also been an uptick in anecdotal reports of a brutal, long-lasting cough going around.
Asone TikTok userput it: everyone seems to have a hacking cough thats been going on for weeks.
Doctors around the country have noticed it, too.
Some people have also had sinus congestion, a sore throat and post-nasal drip.
This chest cold has a real junky and persistent cough, OMahony told HuffPost.
Theyve tested negative for the flu and COVID.
Plus, they arent responding to antibiotics, which suggests its purely viral, she said.
OMahony suspects the sickness is due to the regular viruses that cause colds like rhinovirus, non-COVID coronaviruses oradenoviruses.
He also thinks an adenovirus or rhinovirus may be the culprit.
These viruses cause flu and cold-like symptoms that can last for a while, according to theCleveland Clinic.
When avirus enters our airways, it infects our cells and replicates.
For some people, this inflammation can persist anywhere from two weeks to two months, he explained.
How long are you contagious if youre coughing for weeks?
With upper respiratory infections, its difficult to determine exactly how long people are contagious for.
According to Strange, people are likely extremely contagious in the 24 hours before symptoms take hold.
This heightened contagiousness tends to last fora few days.
In general, people remain contagious for approximately five to seven days, says Strange.
Some individuals may be infectious for longer.
For example, people with weakened immune systems canshed adenovirusesfor months, despite being asymptomatic.
Both have cough, both can have sore throat, OMahony said.
If you know you have COVID, for example, you may benefit from taking Paxlovid.
Those diagnosed with the flu can takean antiviralsuch as Tamiflu, Relenza, Rapivab, or Xofluza.
If your symptoms persist for a couple weeks, youll want to continue following up with your physician.
In addition, some people may develop a secondary bacterial or new viral infection, according to Braunstein.
Warning signs of this include a new fever and darker or more severe phlegm.
Listen to your body: if youre really sick, stay indoors until you feel better.
This post originally appeared onHuffPost.
