Every year, millions of Americans get the flu and this year’s flu season could be even more severe than normal, according to medical experts.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said during the 2020-2021 flu season, there were around 2,000 confirmed cases of influenza, with just one pediatric death.
Dr. Lisa Maragakis of the Johns Hopkins Health System said, “We thought that the 2020-2021 flu season would be severe, but that didn’t materialize. It’s likely that because so many people were taking infection precautions against Covid-19 last year, that translated to a lower flu transmission rate as well.”
She explained that there is a possibility that the very low number of flu cases last year might mean that fewer people have immunity to the flu strains circulating this winter, according to Forbes.
Some flu symptoms overlap with those of COVID-19, including fever, body aches, dry cough, sore throat, headaches, and fatigue. Since both are airborne respiratory viruses, the good news is following prevention measures for COVID-19 can also help prevent flu infections.
Dr. Maragakis said, “People can use the same prevention measures to guard themselves against both illnesses. These include washing your hands frequently, wearing face masks, practicing physical distancing, and getting vaccinated with both the Covid-19 and flu vaccines.”
Flu has already been circulating in the United States and cases could surge between December and February. Flu vaccines are now widely available across the nation.
Children under 2 and adults over 65 are particularly vulnerable to severe flu outcomes. Immunocompromised people and those living with certain health conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, asthma, and diabetes are also at a greater risk of developing severe flu.
Pediatrician Dr. Aaron Milstone of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said, “Like Covid-19, the flu can cause some people to get extremely sick, leading to hospitalization or even death.”
“To prevent this, it is crucial that people ages 6 months or older get the flu vaccine as soon as possible,” he added. “Like all vaccines, it does not offer 100% protection from the viruses — but it can greatly reduce the severity of the illness and we highly recommend that all eligible people get the COVID-19 vaccine.”
The CDC says vaccination is the best way to prevent flu. It recommends flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for people who do not have much time but want to get themselves or their kids protected against both the flu and COVID-19 ahead of winter. The story appeared on Forbes.
