Is Flu Vaccine Affecting People’s Chances of Contracting COVID-19?

The flu vaccine serves as a protection from seasonal influenza or flu, but not from COVID-19. However, avoiding flu is particularly essential this year.

Reports about this indicate that health officials and medical groups have urged people to get either their flu shot or nasal spray to prevent the doctors and hospital from facing the extra pressure of needing to treat flu amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to infectious disease specialist, Dr. Gregory Poland, it is important to get flu shots or nasal spray as protection from influenza to dismiss the confusion factor that illnesses have such similar advanced symptoms individuals who have flu may mistakenly think they have contracted COVID-19. Essentially, the specialist added, only a test can set the two illnesses apart.

ALSO READ: Smart Insulin Pumps: Here's How the Devices Work and Who They Are For

(Photo: PxHere)
Experts say it is important to get flu shots or nasal spray as protection from influenza to dismiss the confusion factor that illnesses have such similar advanced symptoms individuals who have flu may mistakenly think they have contracted COVID-19.

When to Get the Flu Vaccine

Based on the recommendation from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, everyone should get the flu vaccine beginning at six months of age. The health agency also proposes getting the shot by end-October.

Also, according to the CDC, the vaccine is not going to cause one to get sick, and that the protection it gives a person takes about two weeks to take effect.

Furthermore, the flu vaccine is not perfect, but research shows if an individual who gets the vaccine falls ill, he doesn't get as severely sick.

Over the years, a few flawed research have attempted to associate the flu vaccine with an increased risk of other respiratory inflammation. However, experts say no evidence is showing if it's true.

Distinguishing Flu From COVID-19

Since the onset of the pandemic, many people start to worry if they start feeling sick. They tend to be paranoid about developing COVID-19.

According to health experts, it is impossible to tell whether one has COVID-19 or flu without a test. Flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms that there is a need to get tested to determine the cause of worry.

Late last month, in an article it posted on its website, the Associated Press identified "body aches, sore throat, fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and headache" are symptoms both COVID-19 and flu have.

One difference is that those with influenza usually feel sickest during the illness's first week. With COVID-19, an individual may feel the worst during the disease's second or third week and maybe more severely ill for a longer time.

One more difference is that COVID-19 is more likely than the flu to result in a loss of smell or taste. However, not all people with the virus experience the symptoms. Therefore, it is not a dependable way to distinguish the virus separately.

DON'T MISS THIS: Researchers Identify New Cause of Age-Related Hearing Loss

The Possibility of Developing Both Viruses

It is possible, too, to develop both viruses simultaneously. This was according to infectious diseases expert, Dr. Daniel Solomon from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Solomon said, whether one gets tested for either or both viruses may rely on "how available tests are" and which infections are spreading where he lives.

Currently, the expert added, they're not seeing community spreading of influenza, and thus, they are not recommending widespread testing for the illness.

Both the COVID-19 and flu spread through droplets coming from the mouth and nose. Both can be transmitted before people even find out they are sick.

Furthermore, flu has a shorter period of incubation. This means that following an infection, it can take from one to four days before one feels ill, compared to COVID-19, which can take from two to 14 days from infection.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Smallest Imaging Device of the World Can Help Identify Causes of Heart Disease

Check out more news and information on COVID-19 and Vaccination on MD News Daily.