Mayo Clinic Minute: Flu during a pandemic

Dr. Priya Sampathkumar: Most
places flu starts circulating by

November December. So it's
recommended that everyone

complete their flu vaccine by
October.

Jason Howland: Flu cases were
low in 2020. And health experts

attribute that to the COVID-19
pandemic and the preventive

measures put in place to reduce
the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Priya Sampathkumar: We're
afraid that with in a lot of

places masking, recommendations
being relaxed, that flu will

spread more easily. And the fact
that no one had flu last year

means there's a lot more people
who are vulnerable this year.

Jason Howland: Flu and COVID-19
are caused by respiratory

viruses and have similar
symptoms.

Dr. Priya Sampathkumar: It's
very, very hard almost

impossible to distinguish the
two just based on symptoms. Some

cases of COVID can be very mild
present exactly like the flu.

Some cases of flu can be very
severe, and present like COVID.

So really, the only way to know
for sure when you have a

respiratory illness is to get
tested.

Jason Howland: And if you
haven't been vaccinated for

COVID-19 yet or need a third
dose or a booster you can get

your flu shot and COVID
vaccination at the same time.

Dr. Priya Sampathkumar: It's
perfectly safe to get both at

the same time.

Jason Howland: For the Mayo
Clinic News Network, I'm Jason

Howland