It’s likely crossed the minds of Americans across the country: What could the fall look like when flu season hits and we’re still dealing with COVID-19?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is addressing some important questions you have concerning the topic.
Though health care workers have learned much about COVID-19, there is still a lot that remains unknown.
What could possibly be one of the scariest things about experiencing a season in which the flu and COVID-19 are running rampant is that symptoms from the two are very similar.
In fact, the CDC says it will be hard to tell the difference between the two by symptoms alone, so testing will be needed to help confirm a diagnosis.
Click here to learn more about the similarities and differences in the two.
Here are a few important questions, answered by the CDC:
Will both viruses be around, simultaneously, in the fall and winter?
It’s not possible to say with certainty, but experts with the CDC said they believe it’s likely they will both be spreading. Because of that, experts say, it will be more important than ever to get a flu vaccine.
Can I have COVID-19 and the flu at the same time?
The CDC says it is certainly possible to have both at the same time, but experts are still studying how common that might be.
Is COVID-19 more dangerous than the flu?
While it’s really too early to draw any conclusions from the current data, the CDC says it does seem as though COVID-19 is more deadly than the seasonal flu.
Is it possible that a flu vaccine could protect me against COVID-19?
While the CDC is adamant that getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, it still encourages everyone 6 months of age and older to get one yearly.
“Getting a flu vaccine this fall will be more important than ever, not only to reduce your risk from flu but also to help conserve potentially scarce health care resources,” the site reads.
A CDC guidance was created to help immunization providers with the safe administration of vaccines during the pandemic, and it will continually be reassessed and updated based on the ever-changing epidemiology of COVID-19 in the U.S.
One note the CDC makes that is an important one to point out is that a flu vaccine should not be given to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 -- regardless of whether they have symptoms -- until that person has met the criteria to discontinue their isolation.
Pharmacy Advantage aims to improve people’s lives through excellence in the science and art of health care and healing. Learn more about what the CDC is saying concerning the flu and COVID-19 by clicking here.