WHO’s Science in 5: Flu & COVID-19

As flu season is starting in many parts of
the world, how would you know if you have

flu or COVID-19?

Hello and welcome to Science in 5.

I'm Vismita Gupta-Smith.

We are talking to

Dr Sylvie Briand about flu
and COVID-19 today.

Welcome, Sylvie.

Sylvie, let's start with how would people
know if they have caught the flu or COVID-19?

So the flu is very common, especially in
this season, and usually the symptoms

are fever, headache, muscle ache, but also
upper respiratory symptoms such

as sneezing and coughing.

For COVID-19 it's the same symptoms,
basically, but in addition, we have

specific symptoms such as anosmia, which is
a lack of smell and ageusia,

which is a lack of taste.

And many people, especially young people,
have experienced these additional and specific

symptoms for COVID-19.

But sometimes people have very
few symptoms, whether it's for flu

or for COVID-19.

It really depends on
your level of immunity.

What is important to know really for these
two diseases, is that the prevention

measures work for both of them,
and especially washing hands

is very important.

Then ventilation of rooms when you are in
crowded rooms, with a lot of people

in particular to open the window.

Also wearing masks if you cannot open the
window and maintain physical distancing.

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

So, Sylvie talked to us about the groups
that are most at risk from the flu and also

talk to us about the
safety of taking the flu vaccine.

For those people who do have access to the
flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine,

is it safe to take it?

So, the group most at risk for influenza,
are elderly, people with underlying

conditions such as chronic
respiratory disease, cancer,

cardiovascular disease, and these are
similar group as for COVID-19.

But for flu in addition, pregnant women and
very young children, infants are also more

at risk for severe disease.

So is it safe to administer a
flu vaccine and COVID-19 at the same time?

Yes, we have now a few studies that showed
that it is safe to have both vaccines

at the same time.

But of course, people need to check with
their physician about their indication

to take both vaccines.

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

is decided and also speak to us a little
more about the safety and efficacy

of the flu vaccine.

There are many, many different influenza
viruses out there and actually they

change very often.

And so what is very important is to know
what are the predominant viruses in a given

setting so that we can take the antigen of
this virus to compose the vaccine.

So that's why we have around the world.

136 laboratories constantly monitoring the
circulating viruses and twice a year,

we have experts meeting to define what are
the predominant viruses in certain places

of the world.

So we have two vaccine composition meetings
per year: one for the northern hemisphere

and one for the southern hemisphere.

So the flu vaccine has existed for
many decades, and it's a very

safe vaccine.

But it's very important to have these
expert meetings to define the composition

of the vaccine, to make sure that we put in
the vaccine the component that will really

better protect people against the
circulating viruses at a given time.

And this vaccine is very recommended to
at risk people so that they can be protected

against severe flu

and death when the season starts.

Thank you, Sylvie.

That was Science in 5 today.

Until next time then.

Stay safe, stay healthy and
stick with science.