• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Health and Wellness

Flurona, Explained: What We Know So Far

Though it has not been identified as another strain or variant of the coronavirus, officials do encourage taking the same measures as you normally would protect against COVID.
Flurona, Explained: What We Know So Far
By D'Shonda Brown · Updated January 11, 2022

With the introduction of the Omicron variant, the world is returning to the lifestyle established during the earliest days of the pandemic: restaurant shutdowns, mask mandates, and now, vaccine requirements for essential workers. Now, at the height of flu season, we’re seeing instances of double COVID-19 and influenza diagnoses, which has been dubbed ‘flurona.’

Though it has not been identified as another strain or variant of the coronavirus, officials do encourage taking the same measures as you normally would to protect against COVID.

Co-infection isn’t new — a 2020 study conducted in Wuhan, China found that 12% of a select number of COVID patients also had the flu. In fact, it not uncommon to have multiple viruses at once, since the weakening of your immune system makes you more susceptible to illness.

Projections were also made about simultaneous COVID and flu infections in 2019 study. In research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information as reported by Forbes, it was revealed “as many as 70% of patients hospitalized with flu symptoms may test positive for more than one virus.” Dr. Adrian Burrowes, a family medicine physician told CNN, “I do believe you’re going to see [co-infection] with flu and coronavirus. And I do believe you’re going to see a higher rate of mortality as a result of that.”

Reported by CBSLA, the first case of flurona was diagnosed in Los Angeles at the COVID-19 testing center at the Getty Center. The anonymous patient, who has been identified as a teenaged boy, was experiencing mild symptoms and tested positive for both influenza and COVID after a family trip to Cabo San Lucas. However, the patient was the only member experiencing symptoms and was the only one in his family to test positive for both viruses. Unfortunately, one of his parents has tested positive for COVID.

A teenage boy who just returned from a trip to Cabo San Lucas has tested positive for both the flu and COVID-19, which is now being called flurona. https://t.co/GtfwLiANCX

— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) January 5, 2022

During the interview, Dr. Burrowes also mentioned the detriment of being infected with both COVID and the flu at the same time, describing it as “catastrophic to your immune system.” Flu diagnoses often surge during the winter seasons as a result of inclement humidity conditions and inconsistent temperature drops.

Double infection is continuing internationally as well. Flurona was first reported in Israel after an unvaccinated pregnant woman with mild symptoms was diagnosed according to the Times of Israel. This was confirmed Tuesday, January 4 by the country’s Ministry of Health to CNN. “This is the first mother to be diagnosed with influenza and corona in Beilinson,” Arnon Wiznitzer, director of the Beilinson Women’s Department, said in an official statement referring to Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva. “We treated her with a drug combination that targets both corona and flu.”

Nadav Davidovitch, a member of the Israeli National Advisory Committee on Covid-19, additionally told CNN “there is now both very high influenza activity and very high Covid activity, there is the option that someone will be infected with both.” He continued, “I don’t think this is going to be a common situation, but that’s something to consider. It’s interesting that after you have a year with a very, very low or not at all influenza activity, the next year because people were less exposed, it makes them more vulnerable.”

Other cases of flurona have reportedly surfaced in Florida and Texas, and have been mainly identified in teenagers and children. COVID-19 and flu symptoms are said to overlap, including fever, fatigue, runny nose, muscle ache, sore throat, and shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and mentioned by Steven Berzan, the operations chief of 911 COVID Testing. Additionally, Berzan noted that while the detection of flurona should not be cause for alarm, it should serve as a reminder to always wear a mask, wash hands your hands frequently, and stay home when sick to avoid infecting others.

While COVID-19 vaccinations are highly encouraged by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention against coronavirus infection, Forbes reported that “approximately 30% of people 18 and over in the U.S. do not plan to receive a flu shot, according to CDC survey data collected in December 2021.” For more information about COVID-19 updates, head to the official CDC website.

TOPICS:  CDC cdc guidelines covid COVID-19 flu season
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now