Is a covid and flu “twindemic” on the horizon?

There was no face mask on my journey. Many countries have dropped official guidance on the use of masks. There were only a few people wearing a face covering on the 13 trains I took. The same seasonal patterns have not been followed by the Covid-19 outbreak. The disease can come back when our defenses are low. There was a 42% increase in the number of people testing positive for covid-19 in the last seven days. Recent experiences show that a surge in the UK could be followed by a surge in the US.

There are concerns about the experiences of countries in the southern hemisphere. The flu season in Australia starts in May and ends in October. The Australian government reported that the flu peaked in June. Two years of low flu activity is thought to have lowered immunity in the population. Most kids under the age of two don't get the flu before this time of year.

This year there has been a surge in cases in Australia. The proportion of eligible people over the age of 65 who received the vaccine increased from 80.9% in the 2020-2021 flu season to 82.3% last season. In the US, only 34% of people over the age of 65 received a vaccine during the last flu season. Over the last few years, the figure has fallen.

The CDC, the WHO, and other health authorities want people to get vaccinations. It is a familiar tale. People who are unvaccinated are at greater risk of dying from both diseases.