By Elise Harcsar
If there is a silver lining to this pandemic, it might be that the flu has become almost non existent.
COVID-19 precautions, such as mask wearing and social distancing, have made it harder for the transmission of the flu and other respiratory illnesses.
This past year, there has been a 98% decrease in the number of flu cases from the 2019-2020 flu season, even while COVID-19 cases continued to rise rapidly.
COVID-19 is far more contagious than the flu, and the population’s natural resistance towards it is much lower than the flu. There is also more we know about the flu, as it is a seasonal virus that has existed for a longer period of time than COVID-19.
School closures and hybrid learning, have also contributed to fewer flu cases. This limit of social contact has made it harder for the transmission of the flu in high risk environments such as schools and offices.
“Influenza virus circulation declined sharply within 2 weeks of the COVID-19 emergency declaration and widespread implementation of community mitigation measures, including school closures, social distancing, and mask wearing,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.
Is it possible that people will resort to wearing masks rather than getting the flu shot in the future? Will flu numbers ever be as high as they have in past years prior to the coronavirus?
Many experts are hoping that we transfer lessons learned in this pandemic to post-pandemic life.
