Covid-19 measures delay spread of flu

Regular sanitising and wearing masks in public spaces have helped restrain the annual flu season this year. / Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases yesterday said the precautions people are practising - such as mask-wearing, sanitising and social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus - have possibly delayed the spread of influenza this year. "To date, the influenza season, which occurs mainly during the winter months of May to August, has not started. It's likely the Covid-19 pandemic influenced health-seeking behaviour as well as staffing or routines in sentinel surveillance sites," the NICD said in this month's online magazine.Like the coronavirus, influenza is a respiratory infection, symptoms of which include the sudden onset of fever, a dry cough and sore throat.

Flu also spreads like the coronavirus - mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are close by. You can also catch flu by touching a surface or an object that has a flu virus on it and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose."Globally, influenza activity has been at lower levels than expected and to date, none of the southern hemisphere countries have reported any influenza activity.

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