A ‘Twindemic’ Of Flu & COVID-19 Can Be Dulled With Vaccines, Expert Says

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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A section biology adept said wellness officials fearfulness a ‘twindemic’ this twelvemonth with sickness plaguing Americans, whether it beryllium coronavirus oregon influenza.

“Many places person hospitals that are already overrun with Covid cases truthful if we adhd each those flu cases to that it could beryllium a immense occupation for the economy, for communities, for doctors, for hospitals everywhere,” said Dr. Christopher Thompson, Assoc. Professor of Biology astatine Loyola University

Right now, helium said Maryland hospitals are doing OK, but different parts of the state are feeling overwhelmed.

Dr. Thompson suggests radical get vaccinated against some viruses.

“It does look unusual that we person each these vaccines for things that onslaught our lungs and springiness america fevers and coughs and immoderate akin symptoms, but they are precise antithetic viruses,” Dr. Thompson said.

Though the broadside effects of the flu are similar, sometimes identical to those of COVID-19, Dr. Thompson said they are so 2 precise antithetic viruses and truthful request their ain protective vaccine.

“They are 2 precise antithetic things they some onslaught our lungs but they caused antithetic diseases,” Dr. Thompson said. “Normally the flu kills astir 36,000 radical a year.”

You mightiness person noticed that past year’s flu numbers were highly low, but Dr. Thompson said overmuch of that tin beryllium attributed to the restrictions successful place. Americans were much careful, helium said, wearing masks, societal distancing, washing hands.

Dr. Thompson said present that much and much radical are backmost to enactment the flu play mightiness beryllium much terrible than past year.

Statistically mild flu seasons are followed by much terrible ones, and radical often get sick betwixt October and March. “Virologists notation to the flu arsenic the worst Christmas acquisition you could ever get, we thin to spot it highest close aft Christmas time,” Dr. Thompson said.

Darian Nolin, who works astatine Total Health Care successful Baltimore, said radical tin adjacent get some shots astatine once; “It’s disposable close here, now. I tin get some and it is harmless to person some astatine the aforesaid time, truthful individuals are looking for that arsenic a convenient thing.”

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Shameka McFadden, who lives successful Baltimore, stopped into a session Thursday; “I’m present for my Covid vaccine,” she told WJZ. She said, ‘”I got my flu changeable 2 months agone with my lad and past my Covid shot, this is my archetypal one.”