When Flu Season and COVID Collide
August 10, 2020 — For months scientists have urged the general public to use masks, clean their palms and socially distance. And as the flu season approaches, those people methods have in no way been more essential. Relying on irrespective of whether persons heed this tips, the U.S. could possibly see a record drop in flu circumstances or a hazardous viral storm, medical doctors say.

“We just have no plan what is going to take place. Are we heading to get a next surge [of coronavirus]?” suggests Peter Chai, MD, an crisis doctor at the Brigham and Women’s Clinic in Boston. . “Hopefully, knock on wood, that will not likely happen.”

To get an plan of how the flu year may well go, public wellness officials in the U.S. typically search to Australia and other international locations in the southern hemisphere, where by they are in the winter flu period.

This year so significantly in Australia, COVID-19 safeguards have served to control the pandemic although also protecting residents in opposition to the flu. Canberra experienced only a person circumstance for the 7 days ending July 26, the most latest report available. It’s had 190 overall conditions so much this flu year – which runs March as a result of August – when compared to 2,000 very last calendar year. Exercise is minimal in the place general, with just 36 deaths documented so much. And that’s not just correct in Australia. The Entire world Wellness business experiences couple conditions worldwide.

But only time will tell no matter if the U.S. will observe accommodate. If not, the repercussions could be dire, leaving individuals even more susceptible to COVID-19 and potentially too much to handle hospitals, says Aubree Gordon, associate professor of epidemiology at the College of Michigan School of Public Well being.

“There’s certainly worry about the flu overlapping with COVID. We’re hoping steps for COVID will reduce flu transmission, but that definitely isn’t guaranteed,” Gordon says. “Unfortunately, the U.S. has not carried out a excellent career of trying to keep COVID less than wraps. This could be devastating for the well being care method.”

But there are actions that could avoid that. The most essential? Acquiring the flu vaccine as soon as attainable, Gordon suggests.

Mainly because flu period generally peaks in between December and February, it is not nonetheless accessible for most persons. But when the time comes, Gordon suggests, the public need to be in particular proactive.

“People really should get it as shortly as it gets offered in their spot,” Gordon she . “Not only to safeguard their wellness, but also for peace of head.”

Since the flu and COVID-19 can carry identical indicators, individuals who consider they have COVID – but truly have flu — could guide to much more testing shortages as very well, Gordon claims.

On major of that, there is the possibility of finding the two at when – and getting an immune method that is currently compromised by the flu although contracting the coronavirus could lead to huge wellness emergencies, claims Chai.

“Imagine acquiring the flu and COVID at the exact time,” Chai suggests. “That would be awful. There’s no reason any person really should not be obtaining the flu shot except if you have a accurate allergy to it.”

Though physicians are uncertain about what the subsequent handful of months will provide, most can say, with no hesitation, that practicing added warning is warranted, Chai claims.

