Flu Numbers Low Avoiding Feared Twindemic

Tuesday, January 26th, 2021 -- 12:00 PM

(WBAY) Last year, there was fear of a twindemic as covid-19 cases continued to rise and the U.S. inched closer to influenza season.

Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting unusually low flu numbers this year. It begs the question about COVID-19′s role in those statistics.

Because of the unknown surrounding the two illnesses co-existing, health care professionals around the nation, including Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Christopher Painter at BayCare Clinic, encouraged everyone who could get a flu shot, to get one early.

According to the CDC, 20 million more Americans got the flu shot this flu season, than last.  The CDC even said ‘seasonal influenza activity remains lower than usual for this time of year.’

When looking at the CDC activity map, during the first few weeks of January last year (2020), Wisconsin was in the ‘high’ activity category, this January (2021), Wisconsin is in the ‘minimal’ activity category.

The low flu numbers also help hospitals already at capacity treating COVID-19 patients.  So did these measures, already in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, also prevent a twindemic?  Well health professionals say it’s still too early to tell, as the U.S. could see a delay in the flu season this year.

However, early numbers provided by the CDC indicate the U.S. is moving in the right direction, as long as Americans continue to follow CDC Hygiene guidelines and remember why vaccines matter.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.