Doctors expect increase in certain illnesses with start of fall

JACKSON, Tenn. — The leaves will be changing in just a few weeks, but Thursday is the official start of fall. Doctors say they’re prepared for certain types of illness.

“For the fall, you’re going to see the common cold,” said Dr. Peter Gardner with Physician’s Quality Care. “By far the most common reason for people to come to the doctor is the common cold — nationwide, 75 to 100 million visits a year.”

Dr. Gardner said the average preschooler is going to catch a cold between six and 12 times a year, with the average adult infected about two to four times a year. They also expect to see more cases of the flu.

Doctors say the main reason these illnesses are more common in fall and winter is because people are spending more time indoors in closer contact with one another, so germs spread.

Gardner recommends the flu shot to anyone over the age of six months and says washing your hands often, covering you mouth and using disinfectants are key tips to staying healthy.

“With any viral illness, and there are 200 viruses that cause the common cold and they’re constantly changing, and because there’s so many of them, because they’re constantly changing, we never develop immunity to them. That’s why we get so many of them,” Dr. Gardner said.

Doctors say they recommend a visit if you’re running a fever.