M-M-M My Flurona

 

You can get COVID-19 and the seasonal flu at the same time. This has been known for some time. In fact, my brother-in-law got the combo back in 2020. But suddenly it's all over the news.

Scientific American called it "a great example of how misinformation blooms." They point out that coverage exploded when an Israeli newspaper gave it a catchy name: Flurona. 

I don't know, I rather like Fluvid. Though I must admit, Flurona does potentiate low-effort parody covers of My Sharona by The Knack:

When you gonna give it to me, give it to me?

It is just a matter of time Flurona?

Is it just destiny, destiny?

Or is it just a game in my mind, Flurona?

In any case, the media is, predictably, now freaking out about it. The Daily Beast called it a "a new nightmare to keep us awake at night." Is it?

There is no evidence that it is. Sources I've read say dual infection is possible because both are respiratory diseases and both are transmitted via inhalation of aerosols. However there is no reason to think the viruses have joined forces to create some kind of superbug.

The author of the piece in the first link above, the Chief Medical Officer of a hospital, said "we just had one such person in our hospital last month whom we treated and discharged without a whole lot of fanfare." 

He goes on to cite small-scale studies showing that between 0.2% and 0.8% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 also have a flu infection. So far there is no hard evidence of increased disease severity or mortality. 

One study suggested there might be increased chance of requiring a ventilator, but it wasn't conclusive. The doctor said the jury is still out on this question. For what it's worth, my brother-in-law got very sick and was hospitalized but recovered without requiring a ventilator.

The best thing to do is calm down about this, at least until more is known about it. The other thing to do is make sure you've gotten your jabs for both diseases, and wear a good mask to prevent exposure.