That’s the message from many doctors and public health experts after President Trump downplayed the coronavirus threat on Tuesday by tweeting that Americans should learn to live with COVID-19 as they have adapted to deal with seasonal influenza.
The president’s flu death toll is also higher than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported for the U.S. Influenza is responsible for between 12,000 and 61,000 deaths a year, according to the CDC, and an estimated 22,000 people in the U.S. died from the flu during the 2019-2020 influenza season.
Fortunately, the basic protective measures recommended in preventing the spread of COVID-19 can also stem influenza spread: Wearing masks, staying six feet apart and washing hands. But there’s another weapon in the anti-flu arsenal: getting the flu shot. — Dr. David Cennimo While there are four COVID-19 vaccines in late-stage studies, it’s unlikely that a vaccine will be widely available to the public before spring 2021, which is when the flu season will hopefully be winding down. But we do have a flu vaccine now, which can at least remove influenza from the twindemic equation. Yet less than half of the country got a flu shot last year.
What’s more, one in three American parents plan to skip getting flu shots for their kids during the pandemic, according to the recent National Poll on Children’s Health, even though both the CDC and the AAP have said its more important than ever right now. “As a pediatrician, I am very concerned about the health of children and their families this fall if these two potentially deadly viruses [COVID-19 and the flu] are circulating in the community at the same time,” Dr.
While some people may occasionally find that their drugstores or clinics are temporarily out of stock, just be patient. Less than half of the available flu vaccines have been distributed so far, and plenty more are on the way. “This year I think everyone is wanting to get their vaccine and maybe wanting it earlier than usual,” Dr. Daniel Jernigan of the CDC told the Associated Press. “If you’re not able to get your vaccination now, don’t get frustrated,” and keep trying.
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