1/ Q: How do COVID-19 & the flu compare?
A: They are VERY different. In short – COVID-19 is more deadly, more people are susceptible to it, we have fewer treatments, and even “mild” bouts can leave long-term symptoms.
A: They are VERY different. In short – COVID-19 is more deadly, more people are susceptible to it, we have fewer treatments, and even “mild” bouts can leave long-term symptoms.
2/ To address the elephant in the room: **COVID-19 is MUCH deadlier than the flu.** In fact, since December 2019, #COVID19 has killed more people in the U.S. than influenza has in the past 5 years combined. mck.co/3qh350b
3/ Of course, the burden of COVID-19 is in ADDITION to all the other causes of death around the world, including continuing deaths caused by the flu. bit.ly/2VcB2k2
4/ Here are some of the other key differences, pointed out in a recent overview from the @JohnsHopkinsSPH: bit.ly/2VbF5gn
🛡 IMMUNITY: More people are susceptible to COVID-19 than the flu, because there is so little preexisting immunity to this new virus.
🛡 IMMUNITY: More people are susceptible to COVID-19 than the flu, because there is so little preexisting immunity to this new virus.
5/ Some of us already have some immunity to the flu – whether through our yearly flu shot or by getting it in the past – which helps to keep the flu from running through our population like we’re seeing with COVID-19.
6/ 💊 TREATMENTS: We have been facing the #flu for
many years, & have developed some #therapeutic options to help folks who get sick. With #COVID, scientists are still working hard to validate new therapies, but we don’t have anything reliable enough to use on a large scale.
many years, & have developed some #therapeutic options to help folks who get sick. With #COVID, scientists are still working hard to validate new therapies, but we don’t have anything reliable enough to use on a large scale.
7/ ⏳ LONG-TERM EFFECTS: Not only does a “mild” COVID illness feel pretty terrible, but it can also cause lingering symptoms for weeks & even months. This isn’t usually the case for the flu.
8/ It’s so important to remember that even COVID-19 infections that don’t land you in the hospital could disrupt your daily activities for much, much longer than an illness like the flu.
9/ The flu isn’t a walk in the park, but it does not pose as much danger as #COVIDー19. Until we can reach new milestones in widely available therapies & distribute effective vaccines for COVID, we need to double down on the preventive measures that we know work.
10/ And, here’s your extra friendly reminder to GET YOUR FLU SHOT, because even though it’s rare to get COVID & the flu at the same time, we can all do our part to reduce our burdens on a straining healthcare system during the winter months – & that means avoiding the flu, too!
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