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A wet, rainy spring has arrived across much of Canada, and while many people across the country are resenting the wet weather, things are looking up for flu season.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch said Yahoo Canada Flu is waning this time of year, and there are currently very few virus variant reports across the country.
“In a few weeks, there will be virtually no flu,” he explained. “This is obviously good news, and we will see this season come to an end in the spring.”
The Toronto-based researcher’s opinion reflects the latest FluWatch report from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Between March 31 and April 6, nine percent of flu tests were positive, with a total of 2,611 laboratory diagnoses reported. In addition, the number of FluWatchers reporting cough and fever is currently below what would be expected for this time of year.
COVID is also interesting, it is just a snapshot of where we are now in this regard.Isaac Bogoch – The Doctor
In addition, COVID-19 also seems to be taking a back seat this season. Although the virus is still circulating, Bogoch explained that there will not be as many cases as we might have seen in the winter.
“Most of the metrics across the country are showing a much lower rate of virus circulation,” he shared. “All the signals, sewage signals, hospital signals, death signals, all of those signals are much lower now compared to the last few weeks and months.”
The PHAC said in a COVID-19 summary updated on April 9 that indicators of the virus continue to decline slowly or remain at low levels. In addition, the total number of outbreaks has declined since early January.
But how can you tell exactly if you have COVID-19, the flu, or possibly another illness like a cold or allergies? Overlapping symptoms across all of these conditions can confuse self-care. Read on to learn what happens with each respiratory illness and how to tell the symptoms apart.
What can you expect this spring in terms of colds, flu and COVID?
Experts say Canadians don’t need to worry too much about these diseases this spring as case numbers are declining. In addition, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) issued recommendations in January on how to administer COVID-19 vaccinations this season. The recommendations are aimed at Canadians who are particularly vulnerable to severe illness from the virus.
According to NACI, the following people should be revaccinated with the latest vaccine to be better protected against the current variants of Omicron:
“In the fall, we’re likely to see much more comprehensive vaccination recommendations and we expect COVID rates to increase,” Bogoch said. “There are lower rates, but not no COVID circulation. The risk of transmission is much lower this spring than it was in the winter, for example.”
What is the difference between the symptoms of COVID, flu, allergies and a cold?
Health expert Dr. Andrew Pinto of the University of Toronto recently said it is “very, very difficult” to distinguish between the symptoms of these respiratory diseases, especially COVID-19, and the flu.
“There is a lot of overlap. … There may be some minor differences, particularly with regard to the loss of smell and taste that we saw at the beginning of the COVID pandemic,” he said. Yahoo Canada“That’s still something of a hallmark of COVID.”
He added that persistence of symptoms after initial infection is more common with COVID-19 than with other viruses.
“It’s important to note that COVID is still evolving and we don’t know how new strains will really behave and what kind of symptoms they will cause.”
What to do if symptoms overlap?
Pinto said a “really important message” is that anyone suffering from a respiratory illness – including the symptoms mentioned above – should get a COVID-19 test at home.
“These test kits will be made available free of charge in grocery stores, pharmacies and health centers in many provinces and territories,” said the director of the Upstream Lab.
“One of the benefits of getting a test to determine whether or not you have COVID is that it helps you reduce the spread to other people by changing your behavior.”
It can also help those who are feeling ill and may need to take time off from work. “If you may have long COVID and need disability benefits, housing or financial assistance, this can help you with your application,” he added.
I would recommend people suffering from a respiratory illness such as a cough, cold, fever or sore throat to get a home kit.Dr. Andrew Pinto
He claimed that in the future there may be multi-pathogen tests that could narrow down whether an illness is COVID-19, influenza or RSV.
What can Canadians do to stay safe this spring?
“There is nothing new in this round, absolutely nothing,” Bogoch said, when it comes to protection against such diseases.
“The two takeaways I can draw from this are that we had a flu season this year that was basically comparable to pre-pandemic flu seasons, and that the season is really coming to an end now. … The second point is that COVID is circulating year-round. … Even though it hasn’t completely disappeared, the numbers are still much, much, much lower than they have been in the past.”
Still, Canadians can practice best COVID-19 practices this spring, which can also help curb the spread of other viruses. While there are no longer testing or mask requirements in the country like there once were, there are still protocols Canadians can follow. For those who are eligible, getting vaccinated is the most important step, according to Pinto.
“We know that many people are fed up with the pandemic and just want to move on,” he began, adding that COVID-19 is here to stay.
We knew early on that this virus would stay with us – similar to the flu.Dr. Andrew Pinto
Pinto also encouraged anyone who becomes infected with COVID-19 to contact CanTreatCOVID within the first few days of infection.
“We still don’t have a good sense of what works in treating COVID and who the treatment helps in acute infections. That’s why we’re doing this study. … We’re looking at which treatments work and for whom,” he explained.
“This is a really important way to figure out how we can not only treat acute COVID but also contain long COVID.”
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