Page 10 - September 2020
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FLU SEASON
Flu Season and the Coronavirus: How to Prepare
Flu season starts in the fall, and this year, the If You Have Symptoms: What to Do
continuing coronavirus pandemic will complicate Call your doctor. If you or your child has a
the picture. COVID-19 and the flu are both fever, cough, congestion, sneezing, sore throat,
contagious respiratory illnesses. You may be runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or any
wondering: other symptoms of infectious illness, stay
• If you get sick, what should you do? home, call your doctor and follow his or her
• How important is it to get your flu shot this recommendation. It is likely that he or she will
year? (Spoiler alert: very.) recommend that you are tested for the flu and
• Will the flu season be bad this year? COVID-19.
Infectious disease expert Lisa Maragakis offers Seasonal Flu 2020: Will this year’s flu
insights on what to keep in mind as you prepare for season be severe?
the fall and winter flu season. It is hard to predict how bad the seasonal flu
Flu and Coronavirus Symptoms: How do I will be. Each year there are several different flu
tell them apart? viruses around, and the viruses mutate (change)
from year to year. The flu shot is updated each
Unfortunately, the short answer is, you can’t. If you year to protect you against three or four of the
come down with any kind of illness, the best thing worst flu strains that are expected to show up
to do is call your doctor, explain your symptoms during that season.
and self-quarantine until you know what’s going on.
Human behavior is also a factor. This fall and
SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID- winter, it may be that our behavior changes —
19, is a new germ we haven’t encountered before, such as wearing a mask and practicing physical
and symptoms can vary from one person to the distancing, and closures or cancellations
next. affecting school, work, travel and public events
Because some coronavirus symptoms are similar to — help contain the spread of the flu and other
those of bronchitis, the common cold, the flu and respiratory viruses, in addition to COVID-19.
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), this year it is likely But there is another factor to think about:
that a test will be necessary to tell the difference. Doctors are noting that fewer patients are
