Not a single case of flu detected by Public Health England this year as Covid restrictions suppress virus

[DGRossetti]

Seems masks, sanitising, social distancing, and not being dragooned into work when ill might just have some effect

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/flu-cases-covid-england-phe-latest-b1805124.html

Not a single case of influenza has been detected by public health officials in England for the past seven weeks, with infection rates at historic lows amid the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

The social restrictions brought in to curb transmission of coronavirus, combined with increased uptake of the flu vaccine, have both been credited with driving down infections.

Thousands of swab samples are processed and analysed by scientists at Public Health England (PHE) every week to survey the prevalence of different respiratory diseases in the population.

But of the 685,243 samples that have been reviewed at PHE’s laboratories since the first week of January, not a single one has tested positive for influenza.

Sadly there are lots of zoonotic flu pandemics with brand new flu mutations yet to come - "swine flu", "bird flu" etc show how it will happen.

@Buzzinwithbez no flu hasn’t been eradicated.

As PP pointed out, most cases of flu are never confirmed in a laboratory as flu and numbers of infected are extrapolated from the most serious, diagnosed, cases. There are various strains in circulation across the globe throughout the year. Equatorial countries don’t really have flu seasons and it’s perfectly possible to catch flu at any time of the year in pretty much every country.

[quote callmeadoctor]www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-94-percent-covid-among-caus-idUSKBN25U2IO[/quote]
Did you actually read that article?

I was one of the lucky ones that managed to book at private flu jab at boots. I'm not vulnerable but I do like to get the jab each winter. Money well spent I see....

its great on here, mumsnet at its best!

Are you on the wind up notadoctor ? Not sure whether you are amusing or hard of thinking.

www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/02/covid-19-flu-season/617924/

The flu will almost certainly be back once we stop SDing. Scientists are not quite sure what the long-term picture will be.

If gatherings remain sparse, this year’s glancing blow with the flu might repeat itself this time next year. Or the flu and its comrades could resurge in the coming weeks and months. Flu seasons in the past have simmered through the fall and early winter, only to boil over in February. “We may not be out of the woods yet,” Bansal says. Or perhaps, should certain behaviors recede in the summer, an off-season outbreak could occur.

What will happen when humans and the flu reunite is unclear. Every skipped flu season adds to the pool of people who haven’t yet been infected, including very young children who may have never experienced these viruses at all—saplings in a fiery virus’s woody playground. Even among adults, immunity is expected to wane over time: Without an annual reminder, certain bodies might forget what it’s like to fight the flu and lower their guard. “Susceptibility is increasing in the population,” Bansal says. People with no or reduced immunity “are like fuel for the flu fire. The more fuel is available, the easier it can be for an outbreak to happen.”

twitter.com/ID_ethics/status/1365047781799333892

RSV is already back with a vengeance in Australia.

Out of season RSV too.
www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-06/sharp-rise-in-rsv-infections-among-children-covid-19-risk/12945930

I wonder whether some of reason that levels are much higher than you'd expect at peak is because of increased testing for respiratory viruses though. The number of children presenting in ED with breathing difficulties that have RSV isn't nearly so much more than you'd typically expect compared to the massively increased number of cases.

Or are they going to try and persuade us that we should lock down every winter to prevent flu

It's this one - can see it a mile off.

It's a no from me.