Europe May Be on the Cusp of a “Twindemic”

A virulent strain of the flu is quickly spreading across Europe and beyond, raising the spectre of two simultaneous pandemics

• Last winter, as coronavirus cases were surging around the world, there was one silver lining. The seasonal flu had virtually disappeared, likely due to measures aimed at curbing Covid’s spread.
• This year, it appears, we won’t be so lucky. Public health officials in Europe and the US are warning that a virulent strain of the flu is spreading quickly this winter.
• This is very bad news for hospitals, which are already overburdened due to the fast-spreading omicron variant.
• It also raises the possibility that many people will be infected with both viruses at the same time.
• For doctors and scientists, this is uncharted territory, as there are yet to be studies showing the effects of contracting the two viruses at the same time — what’s been dubbed “flurona.”
• Vaccine makers are now working on a combined vaccine that could be taken every winter to protect against both the flu and Covid.
• Scientists are also working on a “universal” vaccine they hope could eliminate the flu altogether. The flu kills between 290,000 to 650,000 people annually, according to the WHO.