Miscellaneous
As the flu season approaches in the United States, health experts are warning that the addition of another respiratory illness on top of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could overburden the health care system, strain testing capacity, and increase the risk of catching both diseases at once. Although the infection fatality rate of flu is roughly 10 times less than that of COVID-19, it still kills 30 to 60,000 Americans every year. However, unlike COVID-19, the flu is a familiar foe, and a safe and effective vaccine is available every year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older. You should get a shot before flu viruses begin spreading in your community since it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop and provide protection. The CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. To be clear, the flu shot can't protect you from COVID-19. But, health authorities are urging people to get the flu