People walk in the High Line park on July 16, 2020, in New York City. One of the most popular attractions in New York City, the High Line was reopened with social detachment policies as part of the coronavirus Phase 3 plan. Visitors must enter Gansevoort St., walk a path, maintain a distance of two and a half meters and wear their masks. (Photo by Stephanie Keith / Getty Images)
In a pandemic that appears to have no positive side, there seems to be at least one extra benefit of the preventive measures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19: a reduction in flu cases.
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As a result of people being so careful about the coronavirus – wearing a mask, hand washing, constant cleaning, social detachment, all of those things that we have implemented – the flu is not spreading as fast this winter as it did last winter.
“It is quite impressive. It was a dramatic drop, ”said Dr. Matt Hanson, an epidemiologist at Public Health – Seattle and King County, to the KIRO Nights program. “If we look at this time last year, beginning of the year, maybe 200-300 cases per week were being identified, and this time, this year, there were 0, 1, 2 cases per week.”
Not only have the numbers of flu cases dropped significantly this year in King County, but also the number of outbreaks and the number of deaths associated with the flu, says Dr. Hanson, which is believed, at least in part, to be due to prevention measures taken in relation to COVID-19.
“[In] in a normal year, we may have 50 outbreaks, usually in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, and maybe 50 deaths. But so far this year, we haven’t seen any deaths, no outbreaks, ”said Hanson. “And even though it’s a little early – we often see the peak in January, February a little bit higher than, say, November, December – it’s still dramatically low compared to previous years.”
This trend is also observed at the state level, with few or no cases of influenza. At the national level, Hanson says it is “much less than normal” based on CDC tracking and surveillance.
“With these COVID measures in place, we are seeing significantly lower numbers,” he said, at all levels. “And I would say that this is also true internationally, where COVID preventive measures are in place, we are also seeing significant drops.”
With regard to any long-term behavioral changes that may help to reduce flu cases in the coming years, Hanson hopes that some of the practices in place now, particularly related to personal hygiene, will remain.
“I think the increase in personal prevention we take in terms of washing our hands, using hand sanitizer, being better about our sneezing and coughing in our elbow than in the air in front of us,” he said, explaining the things he expects them to remain. “I think things that are a little bit more meaningful in terms of the steps we’ve taken around COVID, like wearing masks all the time when out and about, social detachment – are probably more difficult to see happening in the long run. “
“I think that, in the short term, as we are going through this pandemic, of course, all of these measures are important to keep them in place,” he added. “But I think that many of these efforts to just increase our personal hygiene around respiratory viruses are improvements. I think wearing the long-term mask, getting away from the people we love, that will probably be a little more challenging to maintain in the long, long term. “
He also hopes that some of the changes that have occurred in long-term care institutions, which are often hit hard by the flu season, will last as well.
“I would say that many changes have occurred within these facilities, much more regulation of these facilities,” he said. “And I think the benefit was for all respiratory viruses and, most importantly, except COVID, was with the flu. Therefore, I think that many of the changes that have been instituted in these facilities will be long-lasting. “
There is also another tool in our arsenal, says Hanson, against the flu in the vaccine. There was concern that there might be a drop in health-seeking behaviors, not so many people going to the local pharmacy or doctor to get a flu shot during the ongoing COVID pandemic, but Hanson says he doesn’t that was what happened.
“In terms of the data we have for September and October, it actually looks pretty good,” he said. “In fact, we vaccinated a larger percentage of the population than we had so far.”
That said, Hanson believes it is prevention efforts that have contributed to the “lion’s share” of the drop in flu cases this year, although people who get the vaccine certainly help, too.
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Some other changes in behavior, such as remote work, may also be playing a role in reduced cases. Dr. Hanson says this could be a good development in the future, especially during this time of year, when there are more respiratory viruses like the flu.
“And then I also definitely heard from many that there is a little bit of a culture change going on where people are listening to the advice that if you sniff, if you’re not feeling so good, you don’t just resist and work,” he said . “You really take the advice and say, ‘you know what, I have something going on here. I’m actually staying at home and maybe even calling my doctor for an exam. ‘”
In addition to the flu, county health officials have also noticed lower cases of foodborne illnesses or other infectious diseases, which makes sense, since people probably don’t eat out so much, don’t go to the movies, usually stay home more than normal.
“I would say the big difference is that we have probably seen respiratory viruses, like the flu, and those transmitted by food,” he said. “These have decreased significantly.”
Earlier this year, like many health officials, Hanson said he feared the dual pandemic, in which flu and COVID-19 infections could be happening at the same time.
“I think that, as we all know, it was a very difficult 12 months for many people. And I think that those who have been dealing with the flu for many years, of course, you always fear what will happen in the fall and winter, and the whole prospect of a double pandemic and how it could overwhelm our health system quite worrying “, he said. “I think the positive side of the flu cannot be overstated, because it is dramatic how much it has fallen. And I never would have expected it to be as low as it is at the point of a few weeks when you essentially don’t get any cases. “
“So I would say that this is the silver lining. And I think it’s a benefit, an additional benefit that your listeners should know, that many of the efforts they’re making around COVID are having benefits for themselves and the community around the flu and other respiratory viruses, ”he added. .
Hanson says it is not too late to get the flu vaccine, if he has not already done so, and tells listeners to “keep up these good preventive measures.”
“And when it’s time to get in line and get your COVID-19 vaccine, I recommend that you do it,” he added.
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