COVID and Flu Season
This winter, many wonder if we should expect a lighter flu season 2020 because of the COVID safety protocols many Americans are adopting, such as mask-wearing and social distancing. Unfortunately, most experts warn that Americans should prepare for the worst.
Flu season 2020: Prepare for a “twindemic”
Though it is totally preventable through safe, reliable vaccines, the seasonal flu kills between 12,000 and 61,000 people every year, and hospitalizes even more. Most experts agree that the COVID-19 pandemic will complicate flu season 2020 in the U.S.
Because the U.S. COVID response has been inconsistent and varied across states, there is little evidence that we should expect a lighter flu season 2020 such as the one seen in the Southern Hemisphere, where the COVID responses like travel restrictions and contact tracing – particularly in Australia and New Zealand – were swifter, more unified, and more comprehensive.
Instead, doctors and epidemiologists warn that American hospitals are already at risk of being strained from spikes in COVID. Simultaneous upticks in COVID and the flu could seriously overwhelm healthcare systems and lead to many more severe cases and deaths.
With so much we still don’t know about COVID, there are lots of questions about how the two illnesses will interact this winter. Experts have pointed out the following important considerations:
You can be infected with COVID and the flu simultaneously.
Though the concept known as “viral competition” means that viruses compete for hosts and one may “win out” over the other, it is possible to be infected with multiple viruses at once. Typically, this leads to much more severe illness. The most common co-infections with COVID have been influenza and rhinovirus, the virus that causes the common cold.
Influenza is known to make you more susceptible to other pathogens.
It’s believed that many who died during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic actually died from “superinfections” of staphylococcal pneumonia on top of the flu.
Unlike with COVID, children under age 2 are the highest-risk group for influenza.
Very young children can be infected, spread, and have severe complications and/or die from the flu much more easily than from COVID. When you get your flu shot, you should make sure to get children aged 6 months and up vaccinated as well.
COVID and flu symptoms are very similar.
Both COVID-19 and influenza can cause fevers, chills, fatigue, and cough. This means testing will be more important than ever. However, there are some differences in symptoms. Flu symptoms typically come on very quickly whereas COVID symptoms can come on gradually or not at all.
Nevertheless, it’s crucial to talk to your primary health care provider if you feel any flu-like symptoms.
Keeping your family safe
Most experts suggest the following steps for protecting yourself and your family during flu season 2020.
- Get a flu vaccine. Get a flu shot for yourself as well as children at least 6 months old as soon as possible.
- Stick to COVID safety protocols. It’s more important than ever to slow the spread of COVID-19 by continuing to wear masks in public, avoiding close contact with those outside your household, and washing hands frequently to avoid becoming a vector for illness and possibly straining American hospitals.
- Stay home from work and school if you’re sick, but don’t skip doctor’s appointments. It’s crucial to pay attention to your health during this time, and visiting the doctor – to get vaccinated or for other health concerns – is perfectly safe.
- Keep yourself and your family healthy. Eat nutritiously, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and practice good stress management to keep your immune system in shape.
It’s incredibly important for those with Lyme disease, tick-borne diseases, or experiencing Lyme-like symptoms to still seek medical advice and treatment during this time. Don’t avoid your doctor out of fear of contagion. By practicing COVID safety protocols, you can safely get medical care. Now more than ever, it’s important to prioritize your health.
