Yavapai County Free Library District issued the following announcement on Sept. 24.
From Yavapai County Community Health Services:
It's possible that the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu may spread in your community at the same time during the flu season. If this happens, people could become ill with one or both diseases at the same time, and because some of the symptoms of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses are similar, the difference between them cannot be made based on symptoms alone.
Testing is needed to tell what the illness is and to confirm a diagnosis. People can be infected with both flu and the virus that causes COVID-19 at the same time and have symptoms of both influenza and COVID-19.
Similarities: For both COVID-19 and flu, 1 or more days can pass between when a person becomes infected and when he or she starts to experience illness symptoms. Both COVID-19 and flu can spread from person-to-person between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). Both are spread mainly by large and small particles containing virus that are expelled when people with the illness (COVID-19 or flu) cough, sneeze, or talk.
Differences: While the virus that causes COVID-19 and flu viruses are thought to spread in similar ways, the virus that causes COVID-19 is generally more contagious than flu viruses. Also, COVID-19 has been observed to have more superspreading events than flu. This means the virus that causes COVID-19 can quickly and easily spread to a lot of people and result in continual spreading among people as time progresses. Typically, COVID-19 symptoms appear about 5 days after being infected, but symptoms can happen 2 to 14 days after infection. For the flu, symptoms occur anywhere from 1 to 4 days after infection.
Last year saw a record-low number of flu cases, likely thanks to widespread mask wearing, remote work and school, and physical distancing. But this year, experts fear that the reopening of schools, decreased adherence to pandemic precautions and surging delta variant infections could create a double whammy: a very serious flu and COVID-19-season. Already, cases of RSV, a serious respiratory virus in children, are spiking.
September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October. If a patient is eligible, both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be administered at the same visit, as recommended by CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP). YCCHS will begin community flu clinics beginning next week.
Yavapai County reports 382 COVID-19 Cases and 13 Deaths since Monday. The county has tested 143,633 residents for COVID-19 and there have been 25,731 positive cases and 617 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Yavapai Regional Medical Center reports 42 COVID-19 patients, VVMC reports 16, and the VA has no COVID-19 patients.
The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the COVID-19 virus and to get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe, effective, and free.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up