Now that children across the region have begun to return to school and the days are beginning to get shorter, we are truly entering the end of summer and the beginning of the fall season.
With the advent of fall, people are beginning to prepare for the annual flu season, which coincides with the weather cooling down. This season will present an additional challenge as we experience a flu season that intersects with the COVID-19 pandemic and we will need to give careful consideration about how we handle this situation.
While there has been a lot of discussion around the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 and when it will be available to the general population, a flu shot does exist and it will be important that as many people as possible avail of this protection this year.
While we do not yet know the impact of someone being affected by both COVID-19 and the flu at the same time, both viruses primarily impact the lungs and breathing, so it would likely be extremely dangerous to the person affected. It's also clear that the same population that is most at risk of serious complications from the flu is also most at risk from COVID-19.
Another important consideration around the flu shot is how it will be delivered to the population. During past flu seasons, clinics have been organized in churches and town halls where large groups of people gather together in a room to await their turn to get the shot. Such an arrangement will not be possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we are expected to avoid large indoor gatherings. Health departments will have to be creative in how flu shots are made available. They will also need to be cognizant that those most at risk, mostly seniors, will be less likely to leave their homes to get the shot and we may need to consider mobile clinics or drive-through methods to get the flu shot to them.
On the positive side of this situation, many of the same measures that we have taken to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 here in Atlantic Canada will also be effective in limiting the spread of the flu virus. If we continue to practice good hygiene and physical distancing, wear masks when in public places and avoid mass gatherings, we will reduce the spread of both viruses.
For those who are unable to do so, in particular students in our school system, the flu shot becomes even more important. Perhaps a creative solution would be to offer flu shots in the school setting - with parental permission - and use this as a valuable teaching tool in how schools are trying to creative safety within this setting.
One thing that is certain this fall is that people will be spending more time indoors, which is a higher risk factor for the spread of both viruses. Scientists are predicting COVID-19 will follow a similar path to other viruses and we will be having a second wave this fall; there are early signs in other provinces in Canada that this is already beginning with an uptick in new infections.
While there is still a lot that we don't know about COVID-19, we do know what practices have been effective in limiting the spread thus far and, as flu season hits, it's vital we continue to consistently follow these measures. When COVID-19 first hit, one of the major concerns was that our hospitals would be overwhelmed by a surge of cases; we really don't want to find out if our hospitals could cope with a double epidemic of flu and COVID-19 concurrently.
As public health leaders have consistently emphasized, now is not the time for us to start easing up on the measures that have made this region one of the success stories in how to deal with the pandemic.
Brian Hodder works in the field of mental health and addictions. He can be reached at [email protected].
