Fewer people are dying from the flu this fall, but the reason is tragic
- Health officials and doctors have observed a drop in flu deaths early in the flu season, and the novel coronavirus might be the explanation.
- Some think that COVID-19 may have already killed the people who would be most vulnerable to the flu, and that’s why the number of flu deaths is lower than expected.
- The same protective measures that can prevent coronavirus infection can also stop the flu and other respiratory illnesses: Face masks, social distancing, and frequent hand washing.
Health experts warned us all summer that it was imperative for the US to lower COVID-19 transmission before winter and fall arrived. They worried that a coronavirus-flu convergence wouldn’t just kill more people, but could overcrowd hospitals, and some health systems could collapse under the extra burden.
Well, fall has arrived, bringing a surge of coronavirus cases in the US and Europe. After weeks of steady increases, America reached the third peak of its COVID-19 epidemic on Friday, its highest yet with over 80,000 cases. There's no sign that the increase in cases will stop anytime soon. But the flu epidemic isn’t where experts expected it to be. Doctors in the US and UK have noted a drop in flu deaths so far this season. Unfortunately, the explanation is tragic: COVID-19 may have already killed the people who would have been most at risk of dying due to flu complications.
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Fewer people are dying from the flu this fall, but the reason is tragic originally appeared on BGR.com on Mon, 26 Oct 2020 at 18:36:29 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.