Wellness Café

Preparing for the double whammy: Flu season + COVID-19

Apr 28, 2022

If there were any positives to come out of the past 2 years living through a pandemic, it was that the annual flu season seemed to be non-existent. While for some, flu means a few days off work, a headache and a tight chest, for vulnerable groups it can be deadly. Every year influenza kills about 10,000 people of five years and older in South Africa, and annually causes millions of cases of severe illness globally resulting hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Just like COVID-19, flu virus transmission is prevented through masking, physical distancing, avoiding poorly ventilated indoor areas, good hand hygiene and isolating. This explains why the past 2 flu seasons seem to have been so mild.

Yet, as the ‘state of disaster’ ends, schools return to full-time in person learning, and mask mandates are relaxed, this 2022 flu season could be intense.

So how to how you can keep yourself healthy this flu season and prevent the double whammy?

As temperatures drop, and social gatherings move in from outdoors, the risk of flu and COVID-19 transmission increases. While there is evidence that the virus that causes the flu is happiest in cold, dry temperatures, it is also possible that flu cases spike in winter because people simply spend more time indoors, being closer to others, and with their windows closed. Colder weather and darker days also mean less opportunity for outdoor activity, and more time spent on a warm and comfy couch with a sweet treat in hand.

With that in mind, and the knowledge that flu season may be back at full strength this year, consider the following ways to stay healthy throughout winter (and beyond!):

Get vaccinated: you can have your flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine at the same time. A COVID-19 vaccine won’t prevent you from getting the flu, and vice versa, but both will support your own immune system and thereby also help to protect vulnerable groups.
Spend time outdoors, wash your hands and don’t unnecessarily touch your face – this applies not only to preventing COVID-19 and the flu, but literally applies to every other illness as well.
Keep your body in shape – eat well, move more, and prioritise your sleep, regardless of what the weather is doing outside.
Manage your stress – stress hormones have an annoying habit of impairing the effective functioning of your immune system. Become aware of your stress and learn some practical coping techniques.

References:

LATEST POSTS

5 surprising facts about ADHD

Think attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is shorthand for someone who can’t sit still and focus?
In fact, it’s not an inability to focus, it’s about regulating attention. Many people with ADHD describe becoming intensely focused on some tasks – known as ‘hyperfocus’ – while struggling to start or complete things that don’t grab their attention.

When children get cancer

No one wants to hear that a child has cancer. Fortunately, childhood cancer is rare and accounts for less than 1% of all cancers.
The danger is that many childhood cancers progress very quickly, so it’s important for caregivers to be aware of warning signs – and seek help.
With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, now is the time to learn more.

When breastfeeding does not work for you

Breastfeeding is often portrayed as one of the most natural parts of motherhood – an instinctive, nurturing interaction between mother and child. But what if that image of effortless nursing doesn’t reflect your reality?
You’re not alone. In fact, 60-80% of new moms say they have difficulty breastfeeding. What’s more, in South Africa, the tally for infants under six months that are exclusively breastfed is less than one in three.

Why you should start building bone today

Over the years, your bones gradually break down – and for women after menopause, it’s a particularly big problem.
Your bones may seem solid, but they’re actually living tissue constantly renewing itself – like a well-maintained building. New parts replace old ones all the time, but if the building loses more bricks at a rate than they can be replaced, the structure becomes weaker.

How to stay healthy all winter long

Want to stop the sniffles in their tracks this season? These five strategies will protect, nurture and support your body.
South Africa’s colder months can bring a mixed bag of winter woes. More time indoors, closer contact with others, indoor heating – the perfect conditions for colds and flu. Shorter days also affect vitamin D levels and mood. It’s not surprising that many of us end up feeling less than sunny.