Covid-19 patients who have been hospitalized should be tested for the flu. The call was made after the publication of a paper in the medical journal that showed that having both conditions more than doubles the risk of a patient dying.
The scientists found that people who had contracted both the virus that causes Covid-19 and the one that causes the flu were four times more likely to have to use a ventilator and 2.4 times more likely to die.
Professor Kenneth Baillie of Edinburgh University said that the combination of Covid-19 and flu is dangerous. We should change our testing strategy for Covid-19 patients in hospital to test for flu more widely.
The study looked at more than 300,000 patients who were hospitalized with Covid-19.
A total of 6,965 patients were found to have had Covid-19. Researchers found that these individuals experienced more severe outcomes.
When people were exposed to both flu and Covid-19 viruses, the risk of death more than doubled.
The vaccines that protect against Covid-19 and flu are different, and people need both. The way that these two infections are treated is different so it's important to test for other viruses even if you have a diagnosis for a respiratory illness.
As it was revealed that more than 600,000 people will be invited for a Covid-19 booster jab this week, the scientists warned. 3.5 million people are likely to have had Covid in the week to 19 March, according to the Office for National Statistics. The number of infections is estimated to have risen for the third week in a row.
More than 470,000 people have come forward for a jab since the spring boosters were rolled out last week. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommends that eligible people get their vaccine six months after their initial booster for maximum effectiveness, which is why it is asking people to wait to be invited. There are over 5 million people in England who will be able to get the booster.
The Omicron BA.2 variant is a more transmissible form of Omicron and is driving the steep rise in infections across much of the country. As the number of people in hospital with the Covid-19 virus continues to increase, the figures show that it is becoming more prevalent in the UK.
In England, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 has increased across all age groups and regions. The over 70s have the highest levels of infections since estimates began in England in May 2020, with one in 20 likely to have the virus, up week on week from one in 30.
Covid-19 is most prevalent among young children. The number of people aged between two and school year 6 who have had the coronaviruses has gone up.
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