STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continue to rise across the United States, seasonal flu activity remains lower than usual for this time of year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That’s due largely in part to strict coronavirus health and safety measures like social distancing and mask-wearing, according to health experts. Flu vaccines were also available earlier this year, and more Americans got the flu shot than in the past.
More than 192 million doses of the flu vaccine have been distributed as of December so far this flu season, the CDC reported — the largest number of flu shots distributed in the United States during a single influenza season.
By the end of November, an estimated 45.3 million adult flu vaccinations were administered in pharmacies compared to 31.1 million at the same time during 2019 — an increase of 46%, according to the CDC.
Data from Walgreens, one of the largest providers of flu shots, also showed that overall flu activity is low nationwide compared to a normal flu season.
“The unprecedented demand we’ve seen for flu shots this season, along with safety precautions everyone is taking to limit the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing, wearing face masks and frequently washing their hands, may be contributing to lower flu activity this season,” said Dr. Kevin Ban, chief medical officer for Walgreens, in a news release.
But the CDC warns that while flu activity is unusually low at this time, it “may increase in the coming months.” The first pediatric death of the season due to the flu was reported last month.
“Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses, like flu, this fall and winter is more important than ever,” the CDC said on its website.
The agency continues to urge the annual flu vaccine -- as it’s the best way to protect against the flu and its potential serious complications. And if you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, you can still get vaccinated. There are also flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat flu illness, the CDC said.
“A flu vaccine this season can also help reduce the burden on our health-care systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and save medical resources for care of COVID-19 patients,” the CDC said.
The CDC recommends the flu shot for all people ages 6 months and older, especially people at high-risk, including adults 65 years and older, pregnant women, young children, and people with underlying conditions like asthma, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and children with neurological conditions.
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So how does COVID-19 compare to the flu?
The flu and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illness, but they are caused by different viruses. Flu activity often begins to increase in October and November -- peaking usually between December and February. The flu season can last as late as May.
The flu and COVID-19 can both result in serious illness, as well as hospitalization or death.
The coronavirus and the flu can have varying degrees of signs and symptoms, ranging from no symptoms at all (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms, according to the CDC. Common symptoms that the coronavirus and flu share include: fever or feeling feverish/chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; sore throat; runny or stuffy nose; muscle pain or body aches; headache, and some people may have vomiting or diarrhea (which is more common in children than adults).
According to the CDC, other signs and symptoms of COVID-19 -- different from the flu -- may include change in or loss of taste or smell.
For both the coronavirus and flu, one or more days can pass between a person becoming infected and when he or she starts to experience symptoms.
A person typically develops flu symptoms anywhere from one to four days after infection, while a person with the coronavirus will typically develop symptoms five days after being infected -- but the time range can vary from two to 14 days.
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