‘Resilient’ flu infection could spread across B.C. this season: expert

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — As COVID-19 restrictions ease, many experts predict this year’s flu season could be severe.

Dr. Michael Curry, clinical associate professor with UBC’s faculty of medicine, says this year we will see the re-emergence of the ‘usual suspects’ when it comes to respiratory infections.

“[The flu’s] been plaguing us for centuries. Also, in the last six months at work, I’ve been seeing a lot more of the regular infections that seem to have disappeared during the first bit of the COVID pandemic. They’ve come back  — and when other infections are coming back, I’m suspicious that the flu might very well make a resurgence this year.”

The anticipated comeback is one reason Curry is urging people to get their flu shot, noting there is no reason to fear getting the jab close to your COVID-19 immunization.

“When we first brought out the COVID immunizations, out of an abundance of caution, we were advising not to take them with any other vaccines. As we’ve gained more experience on the COVID shot, we are now comfortable giving the COVID immunization in conjunction with other vaccines. They work differently, and the immune system is always responding to things,” he said. “So, a vaccine, it’s only one of the many thousands of things your immune system responds to in any day. Wwe’re quite confident that you can take COVID immunizations closely after or closely around a flu immunization.”

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Curry also is reminding people that the COVID-19 virus and the flu are both respiratory viruses so they’re very similar in how they spread.

That means, staying home if you’re sick, hand washing, avoiding touching common surfaces, covering your mouth when you sneeze — particularly with your elbow — social distancing, and use masks/face coverings.

Meanwhile, as the health care sector continues to be stressed for the 19-month long pandemic, Curry is calling on people who fall sick to try and preventing adding to the stress.

“We don’t want to impose another burden on it from a flu outbreak as well. Flu is a minor illness for most people, but even in a good year, several thousands of Canadians usually die from influenza. So it can be a very serious illness, nd it does a good job in filling up our emergency departments during flu season every year. The combination of flu plus COVID-19 is something that our system would have a very difficult time coping with,” he added.

In an average year, about 3,000 to 5,000 Canadians, many of them in long-term care, die from the flu.

– With files from Aly Laube and OMNI News