We are no more than 100 hours into 2022 and the pandemic has already taken a new avatar—Flurona. In a piece of fresh news, Israel reported a case of ‘Flurona’ in an unvaccinated pregnant woman. Earlier during the pandemic, several people in the US reported dual infections even before the coronavirus was completely studied. However, none of these were verified with the World Health Organization (WHO).
All we know about ‘Flurona’
According to latest reports, ‘Flurona’ is the pairing of influenza and the infamous coronavirus infection. Hence, Flurona is when a person has both influenza and COVID-19. When the Israeli patient went into labor, she had no knowledge of having either virus. After a few tests upon entering the Beilinson hospital in Israel, she was detected with relatively mild symptoms.
The Gynecological director of the hospital remarked that both the diseases are the same. They are viral and cause difficulty in breathing since they both attack the upper respiratory tract. The patient was released from the hospital in a good condition. The Health Ministry is currently looking into the case to see if the combination of infections increased the severity of the illness.
The emergence of Flurona follows the Delmicron variant (combination of Delta and Omicron variants of COVID-19) in Europe. The Delmicron variant has caused more severe symptoms in some patients, especially those who have not been vaccinated. While reports state Flurona as the first case in the world, WHO remarks that similar cases is been reported in the US and across Asia.
Flurona and the ‘Twindemic’
Winters are all about snow, cold, and flu. In 2020, people were concerned about a bad flu season on top of COVID-19. Due to adherence to strict protocols and social distance norms, situations were neutral.
In 2022, Flurona is concerning as health experts worry about an upcoming ‘twindemic’. Winter is the peak season of flu such as influenza. To date, Flu has been America’s biggest infectious disease threat. It has accounted for numerous hospitalizations, including thousands of deaths on average every year.
Both influenza and COVID-19 are winter respiratory viruses. Temperature and humidity favor their viral survival and hence, they are transmitted more during the winters. What makes Flurona concerning is increasing influenza that is simultaneous to the increasing cases of COVID-19.
What can you do?
The answer is simple. Do not miss your Flu shot. If you are yet to be vaccinated, get it done on a priority basis. You can also take various precautionary as well as preventive measures. The CDC is recommending that you can get the COVID vaccine and influenza vaccine simultaneously, or you can get them separated by any interval that you would like.
You can check for the following symptoms (as recommended by the CDC):
- Fever or feeling feverish
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Vomiting and diarrhea (this is more common in children than adults)
If you feel sick with symptoms of either COVID-19 or the flu, it is important to get tested and get the appropriate and immediate treatment.
Also Read: How to protect yourself from the Omicron Variant?
