TWINDEMIC EXPLAINER 1-4

AT THE START OF THECORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC -- THEREWAS CONCERN about A"TWIN-DEMIC."THAT WAS FEAR OFTHE SPREAD OF COVID-19áOVER-LAPPING WITH FLU SEASON.BUT FORTUNATELY -- THAT HASN'TBEEN THE CASE.IN FACT -- FLU CASES ARE DOWNáá98-PERCENT ACROSS THECOUNTRY.THAT'S ACCORDING TOTHE C-D-C.WHILE SEASONALINFLUENZA IS DETECTED YEAR-ROUND -- IN THE U-S -- FLUSEASON starts in the FALL ANDruns through the WINTER.FLUACTIVITY TYPICALLY BEGINS TOINCREASE IN OCTOBER -- AND ITPEAKS BETWEEN DECEMBER ANDMARCH -- BUT IT CAN LAST ASLATE AS MAY.SO WHAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THEDRASTIC DROP IN FLU CASES?EXPERTS SAY THERE ARE FOURCONTRIBUTING FACTORS.MASK-WEARING -- SOCIALDISTANCING -- LESSINTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AND MOREAMERICANS GETTING THE FLU SHOT.THE REASON INTERNATIONALTRAVEL MAKES THE LIST ISBECAUSE EXPERTS SAY -- ASSEASONS CHANGE -- TRAVELERSOFTEN BRING THE FLU FROM ONEHEMISPHERE TO THE OTHER.BUTFEWER PEOPLE TRAVELING --ESPECIALLY INTERNATIONALLY --MEANS FEWER PEOPLE TO CARRY ITBETWEEN REGIONS.AND WHEN IT COMES TOVACCINATING AGAINST THE FLU:11MILLION áMORE AMERICANSRECEIVED A FLU SHOT IN 20-20-- VERSUS 20-19.THAT'SACCORDING TO THE C-D-C.BUTWITH MONTHS OF THE FLU SEASONSTILL TO GO -- EXPERTS STRESSTHERE COULD STILL BE A SURGE.