Why less Flu

[BeckyLUSA]

A good video on why we haven’t had more Flu during the COVID outbreak.

fb.watch/3wYwD8brmG/

[JigFettler Volunteer]

Yes! Same in Australia, and here in the UK. Covid safe practices are effective for Influenza! There is this viral competition going on too - as your link describes. But Rhinovirus (colds) has ramped up.

Jig

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Interesting theories and the viral interference theory might possibly be applicable in some countries. However, that was not the case for Australia and New Zealand last flu season, because both countries fortunately did so well controlling the COVID-19 pandemic just as their flu seasons were starting, that there just weren't enough pandemic cases to suppress flu cases. New Zealand has only had 2,320 COVID-19 cases in a population of 5 million, with 25 COVID-19 deaths to date. It is estimated that typically about 500 New Zealanders die from over a million flu infections each year.

See this New Zealand report from the end of last year, showing that the incidence of flu like symptoms was far less last year than in previous years: flutracking.net/Info/Report...

This article estimates that overall, 1,500 New Zealand lives were saved last year, due to the pandemic response: rnz.co.nz/national/programm...

Australian flu report for last year: www1.health.gov.au/internet...

Neil

[BeckyLUSA in reply to AussieNeil]

Would that the rest of the world could have done as well as NZ and Australia. You guys did an excellent job! And I am sure wearing masks, washing hands and distancing has knocked down “normal” flu numbers all over the world as well. I was especially interested in the example of the H1N1 epidemic where the country cited had a late flu season after the H1N1 was gone. Survival of the fittest!