Each week, the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast shares the latest information on COVID-19. On today's episode, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, answers listeners' coronavirus questions.

Dr. Poland discusses the mu variant, understanding breakthrough infections and the importance of flu vaccinations this fall.

"The symptoms of COVID-19 and the symptoms of influenza overlap so much that it can be hard to distinguish one from another," says Dr. Poland.

What can the public do to protect themselves this flu season?

"Everybody aged 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine. And as we've talked about, get a COVID-19 vaccine whenever you are eligible, and wear a mask indoors in public."

Watch: Dr. Poland discuss COVID-19.

Read the full transcript.

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For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. 

Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

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