(WENY) -- Winter is the peak season for many respiratory illnesses like influenza and RSV, and protecting yourselves and those around you with compromised immune systems remains a top priority.

It's that time of year where many are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses like flu and RSV, but it can be nearly impossible to find the difference between the two without testing.

Both of these will cause a range of symptoms to appear, including fever, sore throat, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting to name a few. RSV is especially dangerous to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, and infants, as their immune systems are weakened depending on the person.

Health experts recommend to practice safe hygiene and strengthen your immune system through healthy diet and exercise as well as to seek medical attention if needed.

"They have a lot of the same symptoms, can cause a lot of the same kind of feelings, just not feeling great, or feeling feverish, chills, things like that. So it really is gonna come down to getting that test, that panel to confirm whether it's flu or RSV or perhaps even another colder flu virus that's circulating," states Tioga County (NY) Public Health Educator, Katie Wait.

Vaccinations remain available for both flu and RSV as case numbers grow statewide. Across New York State, over 23,000 flu cases and 1,000 flu hospitalizations have been confirmed as of December 18th.