You may grow weary of wearing a mask, staying at least six feet apart socially, washing your hands often, and using disinfectant on surfaces to minimize the chances of coming in contact with COVID-19. While health departments and Governor J.B. Pritzker ask for vigilance in your efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus, another virus is only a few months away from entering the picture.
Many health departments across Illinois are talking about action plans for their annual educational approach to influenza (flu). Flu shots typically start to become available in August but it’s probably a bit too early to seek out the vaccine for flu. Susan Karras, director of Public Health Nursing for the McHenry County Department of Public Health, is very much aware the flu generally peaks between December and February.
“For older adults, getting vaccinated early (in August) is likely to be associated with reduced protection against influenza infection later in the season. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people get the influenza vaccine by the end of October,” Karras said. Knowing the flu in the U.S. can last as late as May, Karras is concerned the medical community could potentially become overwhelmed. She notes it’s possible to test positive for flu and COVID at the same time.
“Similar to COVID-19, influenza is spread through droplets that are produced by talking, sneezing, and coughing. So the same personal prevention interventions of wearing masks, six feet physical distancing, frequent handwashing, and disinfecting of high touch surfaces will help reduce the spread,” Karras instructed.
There’s also convincing thought that with a heavy compliance of mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing, the numbers of those testing positive for COVID-19 and contracting the flu will drop.
The main difference in treatment right now between COVID-19 and the flu is the vaccine for the flu. While medical researchers are working to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, influenza vaccines are expected to cut the numbers of people contracting the flu.
“Influenza vaccines will not prevent COVID-19, but they will reduce the burden of influenza illnesses on the medical community and conserve scarce medical resources for the care of people with COVID-19,” Karras said.
Yet it may be hard to tell the difference between COVID-19 and the flu. Both are contagious respiratory illnesses, but as Karras points out, “they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.” The two viruses are similar in the signs and symptoms such as fever or feeling feverish, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and a headache.
Health departments across Illinois have called for people to stay at home should they feel sick. Beyond the stay at home call, Karras repeats the case for COVID-19 “that if you are known to have been exposed to a COVID-19 case, quarantine yourself and monitor for symptoms for 14 days from the last exposure date.”
In addition, you will hear soon enough another quarantine request.
“If you are known to have been exposed to an influenza case and you have not been vaccinated, quarantine yourself and monitor for symptoms for 7 days from your last exposure date,” Karras said. Karras believes these two actions should help prevent medical communities from becoming overwhelmed.
The question that remains for the health departments keeping track is whether hospitalizations and deaths from flu might be counted as COVID-19 cases because both are contagious respiratory illnesses and both have at least eight similar symptoms, according to Karras.
“It may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis,” Karras said. Without actual flu cases, this remains only speculation whether flu cases will end up counted as COVID-19.
“We need everyone to stay informed with factual information as it becomes available and to take personal responsibility to do what is needed to reduce the spread of influenza and COVID-19 in our communities,” Karras said.
