United States: During winter months, colds and flu spread throughout communities so much that this time became known as “Flu Season.”
According to Starrlene Grossman, who serves as Sheboygan County Department of Health and Human Services Health Officer and Deputy Director, the seasonal population spread of diseases now includes flu (Influenza) and other conditions.
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“The flu season is a time in the fall and winter when respiratory illness activity is at its highest. This tends to happen because we’re spending more time inside around other people. We’re doing more things indoors than we normally do in the warmer months of the year when we’re outside, so flu season typically begins in early fall and trails off in the spring,” Grossman stated.
Our increase in indoor social time with others explains why these illnesses became more prevalent.
Furthermore, the expert stated, “For flu season, we typically see two waves of flu, so infections caused by Influenza A virus usually circulate in the fall and early winter, and then infections caused by Influenza B usually start circulating in late winter and early spring, so what is typical of previous flu seasons is kind of what we’re seeing this year as well,” whbl.com reported.
COVID-19 is NOT a FLU !
— Emmanuel (@ejustin46) January 28, 2025
Key findings of this study in Nature :
COVID-19 patients had longer hospital/ICU stays, more ventilation, higher mortality vs influenza. Diarrhea more common in COVID-19, upper symptoms in influenza. https://t.co/qfam72Aoq5 pic.twitter.com/vwymz32hjE
What more is the expert stating?
During winter months, when we stay inside more frequently, flu season usually starts around early fall and ends in the spring.
Two distinct flu seasons seem to exist each year. This fall brings an ongoing surge of COVID-19 alongside influenza and a microscopic threat known as RSV that generally affects groups with compromised health.
When medical facilities in Wisconsin’s Northeast Region must treat their vulnerable population, they face resource challenges due to the simultaneous presence of multiple illnesses.
“Influenza, COVID RSV, and the common cold are the respiratory viruses that are spreading most in the community right now. At this time, overall illness in the Northeast Region where Sheboygan is located is considered to be very high. When you look at all that respiratory illness together, we’re looking at very high respiratory illness activity in Sheboygan County,” Grossman added.
One needs to avoid the coronavirus by vaccinating oneself and using face masks according to caution and through daily hand washing.