Understanding COVID-19 vs. the Flu

5%-20% of people get sick with the flu every year.

Positive for covid?

"*19.

Floyd, new this morning on daybreak.

Health officials are worried about what they're calling a "twin?

"* demic."

That's peopl getting sick with both covid?

"*19 and the flu.

Kimt news 3 madelyne watkins joins us live this morning to break down what you can do to prevent this from happening and how you can tell the difference between the symptoms of each virus.

Madelyne./// brooke and tyler.

Every year, as we all know... there's a seasonal flu that sweeps through the nation leaving many people hospitalized.

And this year... doctors are worried about a double whammy.

Every year, 5 to 20 percent of people get sick with the flu.

In 2019, health officials reported about 60 thousand deaths due to the flu and keep in mind... that wasn't during a time of covid?

"*19.

The president of the minnesota medical association, doctor keith stelter, tells me the flu vaccine is anywhere from 40 to 50 percent effective.

He says in 2017, 5 point 3 million illnesses and 85 thousand hospitalization s were saved because of the flu vaccine.

Doctor stelter explains it is possible to get both covid?

"*19 and the flu at the same time because they're two very different "both covid and the flu have quite similar symptoms, so trying to diagnose the two and they're treated very differently leads us to more stress on our testing systems that we can't really tell what we have."

Because the symptoms are so similar... the big one with covid?

"*19 is the loss of taste and smell.

Doctor stelter says it's best to get tested for covid?

"*19 just in case.

Live in rochester.

Madelyne watkins kimt thank you madelyne.

Many area pharmacies already have the flu shot available and it'll last all season long ?

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