Dangerous Flu Comeback Expected atop COVID This Winter

A feared “twindemic” of influenza and COVID never came to pass last year, but the outlook for such a confluence this winter is resurfacing similar concerns among epidemiologists and other infectious disease experts. Flu cases started to tick up in October and November, and those months saw an outbreak at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

Like COVID, flu can have serious long-term effects, says Melissa Andrew, an associate professor of medicine at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. “Influenza is an important trigger for heart attacks and strokes. And in older people, it can cause delirium,” she says. Delirium, also a risk factor for dementia, can lead to cognitive decline and can increase the risk of falls and hip fracture.

Even a mild flu season, Belongia says, could take a “health care system that is already at the tipping point and tip it over even further,” with severely ill flu patients competing for resources with very sick COVID patients. There is another early signal of possibly milder outcomes: Current flu infections are hovering a little above those seen in the 2015–2016 season, which had one of the lowest death counts from influenza in the past nine years. Flu seasons vary greatly in how they play out, Belongia says.

The slight mismatch is unsurprising because the committees that selected the vaccine’s flu strains had limited data on the latest strains—a result of minimal influenza circulation for almost two years—says Kawsar Talaat, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“We have a population of people who are more susceptible and whose immune systems haven’t really seen a flu virus for a couple of years or more,” Belongia says. “In that setting, you want all the protection you can get and to give your immune system a head start with the vaccine.”

Hi, I am a structural engineer from Iran who have many ideas. I have summarized some of my ideas on my twitter(I suggest look at the idea of generating electricity by gravity). I want to work with companies and investors. Do you want to cooperate?

Oh yeah, lets all spend our entire lives in solitary confinement so that grandma doesn't cough. Amazing science you got there!

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Covid-19 news: Strain on health services led to extra non-covid deathsToday’s covid-19 news: · 4000 excess non-covid 19 deaths occurred in England during first year of pandemic · Acute phase of pandemic could end in 2022 with improved vaccination rates, says WHO · Israel recommends fourth vaccine dose for all adults The most deadly pandemic in US, Abortion 2017 =862,000 US goes crazy with covid deaths =650,000 You know who else spread fake news? Adolf Hitler “tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.”
Source: newscientist - 🏆 541. / 51 Read more »

Study Finds Genetic Factor for COVID Smell and Taste LossA genetic risk factor could explain why some people lose their senses of smell and taste when they get infected with COVID-19, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Genetics.
Source: WebMD - 🏆 709. / 51 Read more »

Palin positive COVID test casts doubt over start of NY Times trialNEW YORK (Reuters) -Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican U.S. vice presidential candidate and former Alaska governor, has tested positive for the coronavirus, as she had been set to go to trial against The New York Times, which she accused of defamation. Palin's positive test was announced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan, who is presiding over the case. Rakoff said 'she is of course unvaccinated,' referring to Palin. You go girl! debbieford14 The Judge also noted that Sarah Palin is an unvaccinated COVIDIOT. New judge, prejudice.
Source: YahooNews - 🏆 380. / 59 Read more »

Anti-Semitic messages blaming Jews for COVID response found in Pacific HeightsThe fliers were put in plastic bags and weighted down with rice to prevent them from being blown away by the wind. Disgusting! These always turn out to be fake. It’s always the woke activists doing it for attention With all the security cameras around someone has a video if the bags being dropped.
Source: KTVU - 🏆 465. / 53 Read more »

The Olympics Will Be a Big Test of China's Zero-COVID PolicyChinese officials are betting on draconian measures to save the Games. But experts have doubts BS Zero-COVID policy, then WTH wrong with other world who is coming back to normal with thousands of cases everyday. An intellectual man cannot understand the logic of this policy. Really Pathetic Policy Boycott the Olympics. Boycott china’s attack on human rights.
Source: TIMEHealth - 🏆 121. / 63 Read more »

Covid-19: NI records one further deaths and 3,932 casesThe total number of deaths linked to the virus reported by the Department of Health is 3,072.
Source: bbchealth - 🏆 143. / 63 Read more »