Mayo doctors say the time to get the flu vaccine is now | Brainerd Dispatch

“Influenza is out there and it’s finding those cracks and taking advantage of opportunities for spread,” Mayo virologist Dr. Matthew Binnicker said.

“Influenza symptoms …can be very similar to symptoms of COVID-19,” said infectious disease specialist Dr. Abinash Virk. “In 2020 patients with COVID-19 often had loss of smell and taste,” Virk said, and this helped to differentiate COVID-19 from the flu.

“For the delta and omicron variants, however, the loss of taste and smell is not as common,” Virk added. “With both now circulating, we have to do additional testing, because it does make a difference in how we handle them.”

No cases of influenza were detected in 20,000 tests for the 2020 season at Mayo Clinic, Binnicker said.

It was an unprecedented erasure of the infection. Doctors attributed that containment to a high influenza vaccination rate, lack of international travel, the canceling of large events, the keeping of children home from school and widespread use of masks.

This year, however, few of those variables are in play. As a result, 7 to 8% of influenza test are coming back positive, with the flu season generally not peaking until after the holidays.

“It’s definitely not too late,” said Virk, “because influenza is just at the beginning of its upward curve. Generally, when you get the vaccine it takes about two weeks for it to give you immunity, so it’s a good idea to get the vaccine even now.”

Binnicker agreed.

“It’s not just about personal protection from those infections, but also the downstream events that might happen if a person is infected and our hospitals and clinics around the country and the world are overwhelmed,” he said.

“If you can prevent yourself from coming down with flu or COVID, that can help prevent you from needing to be seen in a hospital where beds are needed for other patients. The health care staff have been at this for over 20 months. Everyone is exhausted and tired. When you get vaccinated it’s a personal protection, but it’s also about helping the community as well.”

Virks stressed the importance of getting COVID-19 booster shots as well, and said travelers should avoid large gatherings and wear masks if they are at risk of severe outcomes from an infection with COVID-19.