Next year's flu season could pack double punch with COVID-19

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

EVERETT — Flu season is over. That’s one less thing to worry about — for now.

But public health officials are still talking about flu shots, and the push will be even stronger this year due to COVID-19.

“It is going to be more important to get a flu shot in the fall,” said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, infectious disease specialist at The Everett Clinic. “We will see a resurgence of coronavirus. The question is when. Is it going to be in the summer or the fall and winter?”

Influenza is seasonal, typically October to April. The course of COVID-19 is a wild card.

There were fewer flu deaths this flu season than last. In Snohomish County, nine people died from influenza, compared with 26 in 2018-2019. Statewide, it claimed 96 lives this year, compared with 245 last season. Most had underlying medical conditions.

The county death toll from COVID-19 is at least 109, with over 814 fatalities in the state.

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[napi21]

1. I unnderstand pushing the flu shot, but if there isn't a vaccine by then there still won't be any

protection against Covid19.

[Aristus]

3. The thing is: influenza infection is a form of immunocompromise.

If you get sick with the flu, it's that much harder for your immune system to fight off an unrelated concurrent infection. Getting immunized against influenza will make it easier to deal with COVID-19.

[intrepidity]

2. I predict the flu will be much less bad than before

because people are more aware than ever about hand-washing and social distancing. The flu is gonna have a hard time.

[Aristus]

4. Don't forget the vaccine.

That's why deaths from the flu don't reach 1918 levels anymore. Handwashing and social distancing will always be important. But the vaccine is the key factor here.