Flu season is approaching and the medical experts are sharing a twindemic warning if people miss their flu shots this fall. The word twindemic warning is used for describing two pandemics at a time which in this case are coronavirus and flu.
This twindemic warning is shared at a time that is crucial in terms of flu management. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares 39,000,000 – 56,000,000 cases of flu from October 2019 and April 2020.
Nearly 18,000,000 – 26,000,000 people from the US attained medical help suffering from flu and 410,000 – 740,000 of them were hospitalized. Within this period, the flu was involved in 24,000 – 62,000 deaths.
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Health care units including Vanderbilt University Medical Center recommend everyone not to miss their flu shot this year as the risk of getting flu-related complications is almost double. Considering the coronavirus sis still around and infecting people, it looks like a double risk for public health.
Contrary to the popular belief, flu infects millions of people worldwide, and the annual death rate by flu is high. It is hard to believe that a simple and common disease like flu can take someone’s life but it is true.
This year the risk is doubled and the health experts are expecting a high increase in flu-related hospitalization and medical visits. To save people from the flu they are recommending them not to miss their flu shots at any cost. Skipping the flu shots is not an excuse. It is commonly available everywhere and leading pharmaceuticals of the US have increased their flu vaccine production already.
Dr. William Schaffner from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center says that this situation is rather stressful and if not controlled this flu season can make so many people sick. He also suspects that in the worst case, there might be a twindemic warning for public health.
This adds to the burden which is already high on many hospitals. Although the healthcare units are preparing themselves to cope with upcoming flu patients, it is better to take precautionary measures such as getting flu shots to avoid it in the first place.
Schaffner says that flu is a big concern and there are chances to get both flu and COVID-19 together. Both of them are respiratory illnesses and in case if a twin attacks the risks to the patient’s health would maximize. It is not only damaging to the patient’s health but also poses a big threat to healthcare efficiency.
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Cases like these would require more care, more staff, and more medical facilities. As the country is right in the middle of an on-going pandemic, the introduction of a related disease would probably make the management more difficult.
The flu vaccine is not compulsory in the US but many schools, healthcare units, and pharmacies are offering them for free or for nominal charges. All vaccines have flu vaccines available and these vaccines are recommended for everyone who is over six months of age.
The flu shots are necessary every year for complete protection. Convincing more people to get the flu vaccination will reduce the risk of a twindemic.
