particularly bad combination,” Dr. Jonathan Grein, director of Hospital Epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told the hospital’s website.
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How does flurona affect high-risk groups?
The flu and COVID-19 are respiratory diseases, and can cause similar symptoms such as a cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, headache and fatigue, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Additionally, both can be spread through droplets and aerosols when an infected person breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes.
Being infected with COVID-19 and the flu at the same time could be “catastrophic to your immune system,” Dr. Adrian Burrowes, a family medicine physician and assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Central Florida, told CNN in September.
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“I do believe you’re going to see co-infection with flu and coronavirus. And I do believe you’re going to see a higher rate of mortality as a result of that,” Burrowes said at the time.
However, there is not enough data to suggest if rates of hospitalization are higher for those infected with both the flu and COVID-19, compared to if someone had just one of the viruses.
Omicron vs. Delta: Three Key Differences Between the Two Variants
How to protect yourself
Lockdowns and mask-wearing helped limit the spread of influenza earlier on in the pandemic, but with society opening back up, and the Omicron variant, cases are expected to rise.
With the flu and COVID circulating at the same time, it is important to protect yourself and those around you. You can reduce the risk of becoming severely ill with either virus by getting vaccinated against the flu and COVID, wearing a mask in crowded spaces, social distancing, opening windows and doors to ensure ventilation and washing your hands.
