Reasons You Still Need to Worry About the Flu Post-COVID
While we battled covid-19, the Flu miraculously disappeared, a medical ailment that usually saw about 40 million deaths annually in the United States. Hospitals witnessed a drastic reduction in the number of flu patients admitted this year. Such encouraging news has misguided people into thinking the flu has become obsolete. The flu, also known as influenza is a respiratory disease that easily spreads from person to person, just like covid-19. The monumental reduction in flu cases this year is simply because of the precautions put in place to battle covid-19. The following are reasons why you still worry about the flu post-Covid.
1. The End of Social Distancing
The arrival of covid-19 brought a halt to most activities, globally, including physical gatherings. The working class was forced to work from home, while traders who needed physical contact were asked to take major precautions, like hand-washing, wearing of nose masks, and other preventive measures in place to avoid the spread of covid-19. Luckily, flu, a respiratory virus can also be prevented using all of these measures, most especially, social distancing. With covid-19 coming to an end, most people are likely to abandon these healthy preparations, which will likely see a violent spread of the flu.
2. Focus on COVID-19 Vaccine
While Covid-19 can be credited for slowing down the flu, vaccines targeting influenza also played a major role. Elderly people above 60 were advised to get vaccinated, to which most of them adhered. However, with the advent of the Covid-19 vaccine, the focus has shifted and the previously recorded results might relapse.