Where is the flu??

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:48 pm

It is the height of flu season, yet no one seems to be having the flu, everything is covid! The covid & flu test are even one test!! I'm almost convinced that every flu positive comes up as covid positive and many covid cases, at least in the tri state area, are actually the flu.

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:51 pm

amother [ Cyan ] wrote:

Okay. Why is “the flu” so much deadlier this year? Putting so many more people in the hospital?

I don't think this is the case in NY anymore.

amother

Azure

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:54 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

They're not one test. Whoever told you that is not a reliable source, so keep that in mind when they share other information as well. There was another thread already hashing this to death.

amother

Lavender

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:54 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Very simply, because the type of mask that is highly effective in preventing flu transmission, is the standard type that everyone is wearing now as part of social distancing. (Flu only need droplet precautions, ie standard mask while covid needs airborne precautions of N95)
Being that only an N95 respirator mask is highly effective in preventing covid, the standard masks we now wear only somewhat reduce the spread of covid, but greatly reduce the spread of the flu.
In fact, a few doctors I work with actually joked in the summer "watch, if we keep the mask wearing up, we are hardly going to have a flu season. Whoever has stocks in Tamiflu, sell now."

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:56 pm

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

They're not one test. Whoever told you that is not a reliable source, so keep that in mind when they share other information as well. There was another thread already hashing this to death.

I use a big medical center and they do one test for both. Several medical centers are advising that they do one test for covid and flu.
I didn't see a different thread, I think I unfollowed covid topics. I'm going to update, sorry.

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:58 pm

amother [ Lavender ] wrote:

There's no flu even in the communities that aren't strict with masks or SD.

amother

Azure

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 9:59 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I use a big medical center and they do one test for both. Several medical centers are advising that they do one test for covid and flu.

They're using the same swab and then testing it separately for covid and flu. The doctor will get separate responses for covid, flu a, and flu b.

amother

Azure

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:00 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

There's no flu even in the communities that aren't strict with masks or SD.

Well, yes people do have the flu. December isn't usually the height of flu season so it's probably not going around in your circles yet. But people have it.

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:00 pm

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

They're using the same swab and then testing it separately for covid and flu. The doctor will get separate responses for covid, flu a, and flu b.

How can one swab be tested more than once? I did the test and watched them test the swab, it goes into one testing thing and then into the trash.

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:01 pm

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

Well, yes people do have the flu. December isn't usually the height of flu season so it's probably not going around in your circles yet. But people have it.

Sure, end of December/beginning of January. Last year this time tens of thousands of people had the flu.

amother

Azure

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:05 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Sure, end of December/beginning of January. Last year this time tens of thousands of people had the flu.

Just because your immediate community isn't taking precautions for covid doesn't mean no one is. Covid precautions are even more effective against the flu.

amother

Azure

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:10 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

How can one swab be tested more than once? I did the test and watched them test the swab, it goes into one testing thing and then into the trash.

Not sure what you're asking. When your doctor orders a blood test, they don't need to take a separate vial of blood for every component they test for. Similarly, they don't need to take a separate nasal swab to test for multiple pathogens. This isn't new, only the part where they add covid in is.

amother

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:12 pm

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

Just because your immediate community isn't taking precautions for covid doesn't mean no one is. Covid precautions are even more effective against the flu.

I know, but where's the flu in the communities that aren't taking precautions?

amother

Azure

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:14 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I know, but where's the flu in the communities that aren't taking precautions?

Must be really nice that they can benefit from decreased overall flu activity. They aren't getting covid either, so whats your question exactly?

amother

Pewter

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:15 pm

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

They're using the same swab and then testing it separately for covid and flu. The doctor will get separate responses for covid, flu a, and flu b.

There are multi tests.

https://www.endocrineweb.com/n.....-work

NotInNJMommy

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 10:15 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I know, but where's the flu in the communities that aren't taking precautions?

Flu cases don't spontaneously occur in a bubble.

If flu cases are down en masse (among most communities/people), then even in places where folks aren't being as careful, there just is a lower likelihood that flu cases will surface because it's less likely anyone has flu.

But, if flu does surface in such communities, it would cvs hit hard if folks aren't taking precautions.. Harder than in communities where they are.