Now that fall is officially here, health experts are worried about the upcoming flu season. They say it could be a nasty one, and with the ongoing COVID surge, we may be in for a "twindemic."
Dr. Matthew Sims, an infectious disease expert of Beaumont Health, says last year health officials were fearful of a possible twindemic, but he says mask wearing kept flu numbers in check.
Now, with so many people not wearing masks and following simple health protocols, he's concerned we could be in for a long ride in the coming weeks.
But there are steps you can take to prevent this "Twindemic" from happening.
"The vaccines, number one," said Dr. Sims. "Number two, when you're indoors and you're around other people, masks. It's been shown that clearly, we had almost no flu last year when we were masking."
Dr. Sims added, "Hand hygiene, cough etiquette. Stay home when you're sick and get tested when you need to, social distance. All the same, things we've been saying all along."
Dr. Sims says taking those steps is the best way to keep from getting sick. He says it bears repeating, masks work.
Also, Dr. Sims says if people are confused about what to do, they should talk directly to their physician. He says there's too much misinformation out there, and people need to know what to do to protect themselves and those around them.
For more about the twindemic, click here.
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