WHO’s Science in 5: Flu & COVID-19

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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 those two diseases,

is that the prevention measures
works 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, talk 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 show 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 those
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.

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