Is It Possible To Get Flu At The Same Time When Covid Is 19?
The flu season has an unusually slow start as the coronavirus epidemic has hit record highs across the country. Usually in mid-November, the flu has solid ground, but currently we only see a handful of scattered flu outbreaks. Experts predicted and hoped that this could happen thanks to the measures taken by many to combat COVID-19.
However, this does not mean that the “double pandemic” threat is over. The flu doesn’t usually peak until February, so there is still plenty of time for the virus to gain momentum in the country and get closer to COVID-19.
As infectious disease experts warn, a dual epidemic will put even more pressure on an already distressed health system. A significant portion of the population can get sick from both infections within weeks or months, and some very unlucky people can get both infections at the same time.
A handful of people have already been infected with coronavirus and flu in the US, UK and China. While data on how viruses interact with each other and affect the body together, early evidence suggests that those who come into contact with both are harsher.
The first thing to know about the coronavirus-flu joint infection is that this is possible because the two viruses attach to different parts of the body. They do not compete with each other to infect our cells.
Some people may miss a joint infection if the timing is correct, while others may not be so lucky. Specialists say it is also unclear whether the protection is only between influenza strains or coexisting with other viruses such as coronavirus.
Dual infections often lead to worse outcomes
The general belief is that COVID-19 and influenza co-infection can be devastating.
A study conducted in the UK found that people with bilateral infections typically had worse outcomes. Those who were co-infected had twice the risk of death (and approximately six times the risk of death compared to those with no infection) compared to patients infected with COVID-19 alone. They were also more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit and needed a ventilator. Researchers in China and Iran have published similar findings.
The flu can damage the body similarly to COVID-19, both causing low blood oxygen levels, breathing problems and inflammation.
The risk is expected to be higher in people who are more susceptible to each virus, such as older adults and people with underlying health conditions such as obesity, cancer and lung disease.
The immune response may not work for both
There are both general and specific immune responses that a body creates to fight a viral infection. In theory, this general immune response could help other viruses to some extent. Once this is accelerated, it can reduce the severity of a second bilateral infection.
Unfortunately, for some people, this general immune response may not be enough. And the more targeted response that our immune system generates specifically for each different virus will not be effective at fighting other pathogens.
What the immune system throws at one virus doesn’t work on the other, so both need to figure out how to do it. Specialist doctors, dealing with two aggressive and severe respiratory diseases at the same time is very challenging for the immune system.
Get tested for both diseases this season
Getting tested for both is crucial, as it will be easy to overlook one infection or misdiagnose one as the other. Treatments for COVID-19 and flu are very different, and you definitely want to make sure that both infections are properly treated.
Doctors are still collecting data on common infections. Flu season is just beginning, researchers suspect underreporting of co-infections.
For now, health experts say the best way to prevent both infections is to continue to implement all recommended pandemic security measures.
