Face mask-wearing and other Covid-related social restrictions are again helping keep the flu season in check.
Last week in Belgium, Sciensano reported an incident rate of 403 patients per 100,000 residents visiting their general practitioner with flu-like symptoms, a decrease from a week earlier.
Compared to previous years, Sciensano reports that the current trend of decreasing flu cases diverges from the experience before Covid-19. Typically, February is the peak period for flu.
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“Last year we only saw influenza sporadically,” says virologist Marc Van Ranst, Gazet Van Antwerpen reports. “The measures against Covid-19 appear to work even better against flu, which is less contagious. This is probably why we are currently seeing more flu cases in Eastern Europe.”
The flu will likely continue popping up sporadically, Van Ranst said. Also, he warns there’s a risk after Covid-19 dissipates. The future flu seasons might be worse because, when compared to previous seasons, relatively few people came in contact with the flu last year and this year.
