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As flu season is starting[br]in many parts of the world,

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how would you know[br]if you have flu or COVID-19?

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Hello and welcome to Science in 5.

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I'm Vismita Gupta-Smith.

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We are talking to Dr Sylvie Briand

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about flu and COVID-19 today.

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Welcome, Sylvie.

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Sylvie, let's start[br]with how would people know

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if they have caught the flu or COVID-19?

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So the flu is very common,[br]especially in this season,

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and usually the symptoms[br]are fever, headache,

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muscle ache, but also[br]upper respiratory symptoms,

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such as sneezing and coughing.

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For COVID-19,[br]it's the same symptoms, basically,

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but in addition, we have specific symptoms

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such as anosmia, which is a lack of smell,

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and ageusia, which is a lack of taste.

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And many people, especially young people,

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have experienced these additional[br]and specific symptoms for COVID-19.

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But sometimes,[br]people have very few symptoms,

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whether it's for flu or for COVID-19.

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It really depends[br]on your level of immunity.

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What is important to know,[br]really, for those two diseases,

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is that the prevention measures[br]works for both of them,

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and especially[br]washing hands is very important.

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Then ventilation of rooms,[br]when you are in crowded rooms,

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with a lot of people[br]in particular, to open the window.

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Also wearing masks[br]if you cannot open the window

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and maintain physical distancing.

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And both diseases are really[br]preventable if we apply those measures.

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So Sylvie, talk to us about the groups[br]that are most at risk from the flu

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and also talk to us about[br]the safety of taking the flu vaccine

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for those people[br]who do have access to the flu vaccine

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and the COVID-19 vaccine,[br]is it safe to take it?

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So the group most at risk for influenza

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are elderly,[br]people with underlying conditions,

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such as chronic respiratory disease,[br]cancer,

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cardiovascular disease,

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and these are similar group[br]as for COVID-19.

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But for flu in addition, pregnant women

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and very young children, infants,

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are also more at risk for severe disease.

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So is it safe to administer

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a flu vaccine[br]and COVID-19 at the same time?

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Yes, we have now a few studies

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that show that it is safe[br]to have both vaccines at the same time.

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But of course, people[br]need to check with their physician

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about their indication[br]to take both vaccines.

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Sylvie, talk to us about how[br]the composition of the influenza vaccine

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is decided, and also speak to us[br]a little more

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about the safety[br]and efficacy of the flu vaccine.

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There are many, many different[br]influenza viruses out there,

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and actually, they change very often.

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And so what is very important is to know

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what are the predominant viruses[br]in a given setting

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so that we can take[br]the antigen of this virus

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to compose the vaccine.

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So that's why we have around the world[br]136 laboratories

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constantly monitoring[br]the circulating viruses

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and twice a year,[br]we have experts meeting to define

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what are the predominant viruses[br]in certain places of the world.

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So we have two vaccine[br]composition meetings per year:

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one for the northern hemisphere

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and one for the southern hemisphere.

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So the flu vaccine[br]has existed for many decades,

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and it's a very safe vaccine.

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But it's very important to have those [br]expert meetings

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to define the composition of the vaccine,

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to make sure that we put[br]in the vaccine the component

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that will really better protect people

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against the circulating viruses[br]at a given time.

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And this vaccine is very recommended[br]to at risk people,

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so that they can be protected[br]against severe flu and death

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when the season starts.

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Thank you, Sylvie.

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That was Science in 5 today.[br]Until next time, then.

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Stay safe, stay healthy[br]and stick with science.

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