Should the U.S. brace for a ‘twindemic’?
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 20 October 2021
⏱️ ? minutes
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Summary
Health officials are worried about a severe “twindemic” this year, when influenza and coronavirus cases increase at the same time. What parallel surges could mean for an already exhausted health-care system and efforts to end the pandemic.
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Last year, similar warnings were made about a potential “twindemic.” Instead, the flu practically vanished. Health officials say this year could be different: Much of the country is up and running again, and 2020’s mild flu season means population immunity is probably lower.
That’s why officials are urging Americans to get the flu shot. “The flu shot is proven effective and has been shown year after year to save lives,” says health reporter Fenit Nirappil. “And that's going to be particularly acute this year when we're also dealing with a new strain of coronavirus.”
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | So, Fennet, I want to start with a very important question, which is, have you gotten your flu |
| 0:06.2 | shot yet? |
| 0:07.2 | For once, I actually have gotten my flu shot, yes. |
| 0:10.3 | Fennet Nearpill is a health reporter for the post, and he's been reporting on two things. |
| 0:15.2 | COVID-19 and the flu. |
| 0:16.9 | And actually, I did get my flu shot while reporting this story about how everyone should be |
| 0:21.4 | getting their flu shots. |
| 0:22.7 | I just got the email yesterday about how we're getting flu shots at the post. |
| 0:26.6 | I scheduled mine, I'm very excited. |
| 0:28.4 | I was just thinking, what am I going to wear? |
| 0:30.9 | How am I going to do my hair? |
| 0:32.3 | This is finally my time to shine with this flu shot, so I'm glad that you are excited |
| 0:36.9 | too. |
| 0:37.9 | I'm going to have a confession here. |
| 0:39.4 | I'm like a lot of Americans where we know it's something we have to do. |
| 0:44.0 | We don't have like conspiracies about the shots or anything like that, but it's just something |
| 0:48.1 | we haven't really gotten around to. |
| 0:50.2 | And that's what you're seeing people try to do this time around is that after COVID vaccine |
| 0:55.4 | outreach, people learn the need to take these shots, even if they don't feel like they're |
| 0:59.2 | under immediate threat right now, and people are trying to apply some of those same lessons |
| 1:03.0 | for flu shots. |
| 1:04.2 | Today, what happens if COVID-19 meets flu season? |
... |
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