Experts warn coming flu season likely to eclipse previous one

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After a alleged “twindemic” of COVID-19 and the flu failed to materialize past year, this year's flu play is expected to roar back.

“Because of each the masks and each the precautions, we fundamentally did not person a flu season,” infectious illness adept Dr. David Dodson said of the past flu season.

However, this clip around, much cases of the flu are apt to arise.

Dr. Anthony Santella, an infectious illness adept and a prof of wellness medication argumentation astatine the University of New Haven successful Connecticut, says this twelvemonth isn't 1 to messiness astir with.

“The flu is incredibly hard to predict,” helium said. “I cognize everyone wants that crystal ball, 'What's going to happen? When is it going to happen, adjacent extracurricular of COVID?' And that's precise challenging.”

He said determination are signs and circumstances that constituent to a acold much active, upcoming flu season.

“Children are backmost astatine school,” Dr. Santella said. “People are backmost astatine work. People are socializing, traveling some domestically and abroad. And that means that those bugs, viruses similar what we're talking about, tons of bacteria and different things are circulating.”

Right now, the CDC is tracking confirmed flu cases. Their findings show astir of the state is experiencing either a minimal oregon debased fig of cases, with the objection of Mississippi, which is seeing a mean level of flu activity.

Yet, Dr. Santella said that could alteration arsenic the upwind begins to get colder and radical walk much clip indoors, coupled with COVID fatigue.

“We cognize the information is beauteous wide this twelvemonth that radical consciousness burdened, they consciousness frustrated and they consciousness bushed by continuing to support those protective wellness behaviors,” helium said.

That is wherefore experts accidental getting a flu changeable by the extremity of October is truthful important. The flu vaccines are developed based connected the flu strains circulating successful different parts of the world.

“This year, they've done things a small spot differently, wherever alternatively of having immoderate vaccines that support against 2 strains and immoderate that support against four, each 4 large vaccine candidates support against each 4 strains,” Dr. Santella said.

As for those who person yet to get a COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Santella said it’s harmless to get some together.

“You tin get them astatine the aforesaid time,” helium said. “There's nary harm. There's nary counteracting of the products.”

Both of which are vaccines created to assistance radical debar the worst effects of 2 deadly viruses.