A report appearing in American Society for Microbiology suggests seasonal Flu infections could help fight off COVID. Forbes comments this is reassuring as “more people are likely to catch both as restrictions lift. And Flu bounces back after largely disappearing during pandemic lockdowns.” The researchers tested their theory in cultured cells and on golden hamsters.
How We Could Fight COVID Off With Flu Infections
The report published in American Society for Microbiology summarizes their findings as follows:
- Having both diseases at the same time does not affect the course of the infection, nor the severity of symptoms.
- However, if a person does catch Flu first, and then COVID, this can “significantly suppress” the coronavirus.
- The seasonal Flu virus effect continued for more than a week in the case of the golden hamsters.
The researchers anticipate simultaneous Flu and COVID infections will become more likely as restrictions fall away. They note they were common early in the pandemic before face masks and social distancing. However, professor of microbiology at New York University, Langone Health says “this does not represent a looming threat for humanity.”
Taking a Broader View on This Finding
Forbes recalls how some people compared COVID-19 symptoms with Flu ones early in the pandemic “in order to downplay the severity of the coronavirus”. This had the unfortunate consequence of downplaying the severity of seasonal Flu too, which kills 50,000 people a year in U.S.
Both diseases cause respiratory infections affecting a person’s airways, and can result in significant morbidity and mortality, Forbes notes. An earlier study in British Medical Journal found people with simultaneous infections were more likely to require a respirator. They also faced “double the risk of death”. The latest research is therefore only part of the story.
Breaking News
Cases Rise in UK as Pandemic Resurfaces
Things Government Should Do About COVID
Preview Image: Impression of Respiratory System
