Winter warning! Influenza and COVID-19 trigger dual epidemics? Famous doctors: Deaths from severe illness could increase by up to 30%
At the turn of autumn and winter, we will enter the influenza epidemic period. Many experts are worried that influenza and COVID-19 will cause a “double epidemic” and call on the public to take strict precautions against the virus. Dr. Huang Gaobin, commander of the Central District of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Medical Network of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and deputy director of the Infection Control Center of the Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University, pointed out in an interview that groups with poor immunity and high-risk groups should receive influenza vaccines as soon as possible to avoid double epidemics causing " “Immune Debt” counterattack.
How to distinguish between influenza and new coronavirus? 3 features are unique to COVID-19
How do ordinary people distinguish between the symptoms of influenza and COVID-19? Dr. Huang Gaobin explained that influenza causes more obvious “systemic symptoms”, with fever, body aches, dizziness, weakness, and fatigue as the main symptoms. Symptoms will be relatively obvious 2-5 days after infection, and physical discomfort will improve significantly once the acute phase is over. In addition, influenza can also easily cause complications such as pneumonia, otitis media, and sinusitis.
Regarding COVID-19, based on the Omicron variant currently circulating in Taiwan, most confirmed cases have upper respiratory tract symptoms, including sore throat, hoarseness, sneezing, runny nose, body aches and weakness, etc. The duration of symptoms is about 1 week, and most symptoms will improve significantly within 2-5 weeks. If symptoms persist for more than 5 weeks, you need to suspect whether you have Long Covid.
Dr. Huang Gaobin emphasized that there are three biggest differences between COVID-19 and influenza: first, if there is no vaccine, the mortality rate from severe illness after infection with COVID-19 is higher; second, COVID-19 can easily cause a variety of complications, such as severe sepsis, Exacerbation of original diseases, thrombosis, childhood encephalitis, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS), etc. Third, patients may still have long-term sequelae after recovering from the infection, which is currently unique to the new coronavirus.
What types of influenza viruses are there? What strains does the flu vaccine protect against?
Dr. Huang Gaobin explained that currently known influenza viruses can be divided into four types: A, B, C, and D. Among them, type A is the most likely to cause a pandemic. The greater the degree of mutation of virus strains, the easier it is to cause large-scale epidemics, such as the H1N1 virus in 2009. Currently, the more common virus strains in the world are H1N1 and H3N2, and previous bivalent vaccines were designed to prevent these two virus strains.
As for type B influenza, it can be divided into “Victoria strain” and “Yamagata strain”. The main infections are humans and seals. However, type B influenza is difficult to develop into a large-scale epidemic; it mostly causes “regional” epidemics. If the Victoria strain occurs in Taiwan, it is usually difficult to spread to China, Japan and other places.
Type C influenza mainly infects humans and pigs, but is less transmissible than types A and B, and is mostly limited to communities or settlements. Type D influenza mostly infects cattle and pigs, and no cases of type D influenza have been found in humans so far. Dr. Huang Gaobin said that because it was difficult to control the type B influenza epidemic in the past, the quadrivalent influenza vaccine can now protect against “2A” (H1N1, H3N2) and “2B” (Victoria strain, Yamagata strain).
Is the simultaneous infection of influenza and COVID-19 more deadly? Mortality rate in severe cases increased by up to 30%
Does getting the flu mean you’re less likely to be diagnosed with coronavirus? Dr. Huang Gaobin clarified that at present, the only thing mutually exclusive with the new coronavirus is “rhinovirus”, which is commonly known as “cold”. Its symptoms include respiratory tract infection, sneezing, runny nose, etc. Rhinovirus has a suppressive effect on the new coronavirus, but the influenza virus may increase the risk of severe death in people diagnosed with the new coronavirus.
“If you are infected with rhinovirus first, it will be less likely for COVID-19 to invade the human body; more interestingly, if you are infected with rhinovirus within 24 hours of being infected with COVID-19, rhinovirus will also have the effect of rejecting COVID-19.”
Will your body be at higher risk if you are infected with COVID-19 and influenza at the same time? Dr. Huang Gaobin pointed out that if people diagnosed with COVID-19 are infected with the influenza virus at the same time, the mortality rate from severe illness will increase by about 20-30%. However, if people have been vaccinated against influenza before, the severity of symptoms after infection will be reduced by about 17-36%, proving that the influenza vaccine has the effect of preventing the new coronavirus, and can also reduce the occurrence of sepsis, stroke, deep venous emboli, and even hospitalization for severe disease Possibility of ICU.
Is the reopening of the country and the recovery of tourism more dangerous? Doctors urge: Get flu vaccine as soon as possible
As the “0+7” policy begins and the country reopens, is the administration of influenza vaccine more necessary? Dr. Huang Gaobin explained that there are still a few “chosen people” who have not been diagnosed. Although they have not been infected in Taiwan, there is no guarantee that foreign tourists will carry the virus or “win the bid” when traveling abroad. If you test positive abroad and are infected with the influenza virus at the same time, the situation may be more difficult than in Taiwan.
Dr. Huang Gaobin also said that there has been no influenza pandemic in Taiwan for more than two years, and the antibodies of the general public have also weakened. It is recommended that regardless of whether there are plans to go abroad or not, eligible groups should get vaccinated as soon as possible, especially the elderly, those with cardiopulmonary disease, kidney disease, asthma, hypertension, diabetes and other immunocompromised groups.
“The vaccine purchased by the government this year is very sufficient. We can also consider administering it at the same time as the latest bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Both vaccines are ‘inactive vaccines’ and are not mutually exclusive, as long as they are administered in different arms!”
Finally, Dr. Huang Gaobin called on 2022 to be the “year of flu”. In addition to preventing the new coronavirus, we must not be careless when facing the flu. Anti-epidemic measures such as masks, social distance, and frequent spraying of alcohol must be thoroughly implemented. Those who are eligible for influenza vaccination should receive it as early as possible to avoid the aggravation of the disease or the occurrence of complications caused by the “double epidemic” attack.
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