Question

What impact, if any, do you expect the COVID-19 pandemic to have on willingness to get the flu vaccine?

Answer 1

· Influenza comparisons have been drawn as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve. Both cause respiratory disease, but significant differences exist between the two viruses, and how they spread. This has important implications for the measures of public health which can be implemented to respond to each virus.

· First, there is a similar presentation of the disease in COVID-19 and influenza viruses. That is, both cause respiratory disease which presents a wide range of diseases from asymptomatic or mild to severe illness and death.

· Second, both viruses are passed on through contact, droplets, and fomites. As a result, the same steps for public health, such as hand hygiene and good respiratory etiquette (coughing into the elbow or tissue and disposing of the tissue immediately) are essential practices that can both be done to avoid infection.

· Transmission speed is an important differentiating point between the two viruses. The serial interval for COVID-19 virus is estimated at 5-6 days while the serial interval is 3 days for influenza virus.By contrast, while we learn that there are people who can shed COVID-19 virus 24-48 hours before the onset of symptoms, this doesn't seem to be a major transmissi driver at the moment.

· There are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for COVID-19 in production for COVID-19. In comparison, antivirals and influenza vaccines are safe. Although the influenza vaccine is not effective against COVID-19 virus, vaccines are strongly recommended each year to avoid influenza infection.