Now a twindemic?
Recent research released by Public Health England revealed that the risk of fatality more than doubles in cases where the patient tests positive for both COVID-19 and the flu. The information isn't new. For months, experts have warned that the worse of this pandemic was still yet to come. Winter is coming and with it, the annual flu season. WHO has previously estimated that the annual flu epidemics cause as many three to five million deaths worldwide. The prospect of now facing a generally manageable epidemic at a time when a nearly unmanageable pandemic is straining healthcare systems is making policymakers shudder in terror. The perfect storm, one feeding the other, a twindemic so to speak. The flu season is generally manageable but a bad season can by itself cause healthcare systems to buckle. The 2017-18 season in the US was an example of such a season when an overload of patients resulted in hospitals having to erect tents in parking lots.
Already health agencies worldwide — from the UK to India — are putting out advisories recommending people to be vaccinated with the latest influenza vaccine. European governments are already moving to stock more doses of the vaccine than ever before in order to meet any escalation. South Korea has recently announced that it is suspending free flu shots on account of problems encountered in storage during transport of the vaccines. This, unfortunately, put a dampener on the South Korean Government's plans to pre-emptively ease the flu season disease burden by starting the flu vaccination drive early.
Before continuing with this onslaught of gloom and doom, it is worth mentioning the big 'but' in this scenario. As with all things related to COVID-19, there is, quite simply not enough data to make blanked statements at this point. Even in regards to the possibility of COVID and flue featuring as a double-whammy, conflicting data exists. On the one hand, studies have shown that flu and COVID-19 coming together make for a very bad day. On the other hand, studies have also shown that the viruses 'compete' with each other and having flu makes it unlikely that you'll have COVID-19 and vice-versa. This is, however, not a guarantee because singular studies rarely inform complete scientific consensus on what is fact and what is conjecture. What is absolutely certain is that COVID during flu-season is going to be a complicated mess as regards making a diagnosis. While they are very different viruses, flu and COVID-19 carry many similar symptoms, adding to the panic and confusion. What is also true is that this makes it all the more important vaccination drives to be as widespread as possible. While governments worldwide have been reluctant to make vaccination compulsory, strongly 'urging', even incentivising vaccination wherever possible, is a required step in these times. The pandemic and now the possible twindemic are problems for humanity as a whole. We cannot get by this time with only a portion of individuals being vaccinated. While this no doubt is going to be a point that will be brought up again and again, time is not a luxury we have in this regard. Doubting science and official, informed directive in such emergencies only weakens our overall ability to cope with such disasters.
The need of the hour to pre-empt a bigger disaster is faster, better tests and widespread flu vaccination drive built on awareness and shared responsibility. The one silver lining we may enjoy in this fight is that the precautions for flu are similar to those for COVID-19. This means that if social distancing, sanitation, use of masks, etc., is generally carried forward as recommended, it is entirely possible that this flu season will be the tamest on record. Then again, reality is hardily ever so accommodating and the state of COVID precautions worldwide and in India is debatable.
