“We are facing the same threat this year”

Last year’s flu season turned out to be the mildest on record, but health experts have renewed warnings that a ‘twindemia’ – in which flu and COVID-19 cases are simultaneously increasing and overwhelming hospitals – might be possible this year, and they’re urging Americans to get the flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,675 influenza cases from September 28 to May 22, representing just 0.2% of the samples tested. But it’s hard to predict what this year will look like, according to health experts.

They fear it may look like a more typical flu season, as students resume in-person learning and states loosen masks and social distancing mandates amid a return to social gatherings.

This is all the more concerning as cases of COVID-19 driven by the highly contagious delta variant are increasing across the country. A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data suggests that the United States reported more than 1.05 million cases in the week that ended Monday, or 104 cases per minute.

Serious illnesses and deaths are also increasing, filling intensive care beds and threatening hospital capacity. The country recorded more than 7,200 deaths from COVID-19 in the week that ended Monday, the equivalent of an attack on Pearl Harbor three times a week, or an attack on 9/11 every the three days.

“We were worried about ‘twindemia’ last year and we are facing the same threat this year,” said Dr Daniel Solomon, physician in the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “COVID-19 is likely to continue, and we face the threat of double respiratory viruses that could strain our healthcare system. “

Flu shots are now available from CVS and Walgreens, the country’s two largest retail pharmacies, and offer co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. The CDC rescinded the previous directive to wait at least 14 days between the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, saying “you can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines in the same visit.”

Doctors have yet to see a case of the flu, but they are seeing an increase in other respiratory viruses that show conditions can be conducive to influenza transmission in the fall and winter.

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According to the CDC, respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus that usually causes mild symptoms, similar to those of the common cold, mostly in children. It is the most common cause of pneumonia in children under one year of age in the United States

“Some of the cases of children hospitalized with COVID also have RSV co-infection,” said Dr. Jeff Fischer, president of Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics, a private biotechnology company. “So one of the other concerns is that you are seeing co-infections (of the flu).”

RSV in the summer doesn’t necessarily predict influenza transmission in the fall and winter, Solomon said, but it does show that children, who effectively transmit the flu, interact more in social settings.

In addition to getting the flu shot, health experts say it’s important to put into practice some of the pandemic health measures that prevented influenza transmission last year.

A nationwide lockdown is not necessary, they say. They say wearing masks, practicing good hand hygiene and staying home after work when sick are enough to prevent people from getting sick and infecting other vulnerable populations.

“Last year we didn’t have a really big flu season because people were using masks and it decreased flu season activity,” said Dr Ricardo Correa, endocrinologist and professor. associate of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. “If we do the same this year and wear masks as much as possible, flu season won’t hit us as hard as in previous years. “

Solomon advises people to get the vaccine around October so that the protection lasts throughout the flu season. But if for some reason they can’t afford to wait until then, he urges them to get the shot as soon as possible. A typical flu season in the United States peaks between December and February and can last until May, according to the CDC.

It’s almost impossible to tell if someone has COVID-19 or the flu from symptoms alone, Solomon said. He urges everyone in this position to undergo diagnostic tests so that they can receive the appropriate treatment early and avoid hospitalization.

“We are facing this threat of several serious respiratory viruses circulating simultaneously in our community,” he said. “If that happened, it could put a strain on our hospital system as we are currently seeing with COVID alone.”

Contribution: Mike Stucka, UNITED STATES TODAY. Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

Patient health and safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial contributions.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flu Vaccine at Walgreens, CVS: Experts Warn of Double Outbreak, Recommend Vaccine