As the winter season approaches in the northern hemisphere, healthcare systems around the world, which are already dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, are bracing for the return of flu season.
From this perspective, the concern is that many of the symptoms customary to the flu are similar to those that appear as a result of the coronavirus. This, healthcare officials in Israel and abroad fear, will hamper efforts to effectively sever the chain of infection of the coronavirus and possibly lead to hospitals collapsing under the simultaneous weight of thousands of flu and corona patients.
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However, a new report published Sunday by the Corona National Information and Knowledge Center on countries in the southern hemisphere, which are currently in their winter season, could possibly allay some of the fears of a double outbreak of the flu and COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. According to the report, countries that have strictly upheld social distancing and proper hygiene guidelines have also recorded relatively low flu numbers, which in turn has helped their respective healthcare systems contend with the corona pandemic.
Additionally, southern hemisphere countries encouraged their citizens to get flu vaccinations and in some cases (for example Australia and New Zealand), the percentage of people in the population with the flu vaccine actually increased in comparison to the previous year. The main factor contributing to reducing the flu spread in the southern hemisphere were the quarantines declared at the beginning of winter to curb the coronavirus, which greatly reduced personal interaction and large gatherings where the flu would have likely spread.
As stated, however, in Israel and other northern hemisphere countries, where nationwide quarantine measures have largely been lifted already, the concern is that it will be more difficult to cope with the upcoming winter and prevent a widespread flu outbreak parallel to the corona pandemic.
To prevent a double outbreak, experts at the Corona Information Center recommend an aggressive policy to vaccinate the public against the flu, with clear target numbers and an emphasis on at-risk groups and groups prone to spreading infection.
Experts at the center also said the government should establish "vaccinate-and-go" centers for the flu, expand the number of daily tests for the coronavirus, train more epidemiological researchers and prepare a broad public relations campaign to warn the public and keep it informed.
The report concluded by stating: "At this hour, the low flu numbers in the southern hemisphere (in March-July) are not a reliable predictor of the morbidity rate we will see in Israel this coming winter. At this stage, social distancing measures in Israel will likely be even less stringent in the winter. For example: schools will be open and there will be fewer restrictions on large gatherings. Moreover, it is impossible to gauge how well the public will uphold safety protocols, such as wearing masks and personal hygiene."
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