‘Flurona’ What, Why and How?

‘Flurona’ is the catchy term that has been coined during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is used to describe when a person catches the Influenza virus and the Coronavirus simultaneously.

Unlike Delta or Omicron, ‘Flurona’ is not a new variant of COVID-19.

We are seeing more Influenza illnesses this year because social distancing is not as strict as in the past, and we are in the middle of the classic Flu season, as well as COVID-19 cases because of the Omicron variant.

Because the Flu virus and the Corona Virus have many overlapping respiratory symptoms, it is difficult for a person to diagnose ‘flurona’ without getting a test first.

Influenza and COVID-19 share similar symptoms, fever, headache and fatigue ( classic respiratory symptoms) and in some severe cases muscle pain, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea and difficulty breathing.

Mild to moderate symptoms can be treated with rest, fluids and medication to reduce fever or aches. For moderate to severe cases, there are different treatment options and drugs for each virus.

Vaccinate!

The good news is that there are safe and effective vaccines available for both the Flu and COVID-19 ( however, vaccine for one does not protect you from the other, which is why experts urge getting vaccinated against both viruses)

Reference : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC)