BUFFALO, N.Y. — Some health experts in the U.S. now say that of the earliest diagnosed cases of COVID-19 back in February and March, about 20 percent of those patients also had influenza. We found out there is some disagreement about that combination. But obviously there is also concern about exposure to either illness, which can cause deadly complications especially for the elderly.
NBC News last week reported on the potential combination of the flu and COVID-19. Dr. Adrian Burrowes has a family medicine practice in Orlando, Florida. He notes that the flu shot does not prevent COVID-19, but could still save a patient's life.
"If you were infected with either strain of the flu, you could on top of that get a COVID-19 infection, which would be catastrophic to your immune system," he said.
Dr. Brahm Segal, who is the infectious disease chief at Roswell Park Cancer Center, says it has actually been rare in their testing program to find that a COVID-19 patient would also have the flu. He says they screen for all viral pathogens during a COVID-19 test on a patient. But they do know the immune system is weakened by COVID-19.
"This is purely speculative," Segal said. "I could imagine that if one is having a COVID infection that you know you might be recovering at home. You might be getting better but you might be somewhat more at risk if you then get independently exposed to someone else with influenza. Could you be at greater risk... sure it's absolutely possible."
ECMC Vice President and Chief Safety Manager Charlene Ludlow, who oversees their infection control program, says the CDC is right now trying to figure out the proper vaccine flu strain mix to be most effective. But from observing the current flu cases in the Southern Hemisphere, where it now is winter, they also sense that COVID-19 prevention policies may actually have a beneficial side effect.
"Not real sure of what it's gonna look like for the fall of course, but we don't expect to see a normal flu season," Ludlow said. "You know if we continue with our social distancing, our universal masking, and our hand hygiene we really will be able to keep the flu season down."
Whatever the case COVID-19 and flu symptoms can be hard to differentiate. So Segal says a COVID-19 test is still crucial to confirm whether someone has the coronavirus or not. And while experts say the COVID-19 vaccine is still a work in progress and a ways off, there will be a flu vaccine. As doctors always advise the public, it is best to get the flu shot this fall because it is better to be safe than sorry.