Winter threats of COVID-19 and flu will require adjustments to daily life, expert says

Yeah. Last year we had a very mild flu season and many would attribute that to all the mask wearing that. We did. We did it to protect us against covid 19 but also protected us also against the flu. But this year as covid 19 restrictions are lessening. Doctors say they are concerned not only will that bring up covid 19 cases but also flu cases and that would dub this the potential to endemic. There is some worry that because people weren't exposed to the flu last year will be a little bit less natural immunity as a result, there may be a more severe flu season this year. Dr john Goldman with UPMC says a typical flu season already puts a strain on the health care system, add flew on top of covid and will be either at or beyond our capacity. We're anticipating that we're going to see higher cases of influenza dr Eugene curly with wealth span health says in order to keep people from getting severely ill and taking up beds in hospitals still treating covid 19 patients you have to get both the covid 19 vaccine and the flu vaccine. Get vaccinated, get vaccinated, get vaccinated, get vaccinated for both. Um So that is the best in this this way that you can prevent getting influenza or covid 19. Not all kids can get the covid 19 vaccine but most can get the flu shot. The C. D. C. Recommends people six months and older to get the flu shot. It's going to also be our best way at avoiding A so called twin endemic and getting out of this COVID-19. Now, doctors recommend to get flu shots in october about early october today it goes through the duration of the flu season. So also they say that you can get your flu shot as well as your Covid 19 vaccine even together, same day, same hour that you can get them simultaneously because there is no negative interaction between the two. I'm Jocelyn Howard, live in Harrisburg, WGCL News eight. WE HAD A VERY MILD FLU SEASON IN MANY WOULD ATTRIBUTE THAT TO ALL THE MASK WEARING THAT WE DID WE DID IT TO PROTECT US AGAINST COVID-19, BUT ALSO PROTECTED US ALSO AGAIN TSTHE FLEW BUT THIS YEAR AS COVID-19 RESICTRTIONS ARE LESSENING DOCTORS SAY THEY ARE CONCERNED. NOT ONLY WILL THAT BRING UP COVID-19 CASES, BUT ALSO FLU CASES AND THAT WOULD DUB THIS THE POTENTIAL TO ENDEMIC. THERE IS SOME WORRY THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'’ EXPOSED TO THE FLU LAST YEAR. THERE’LL BE A LITTLE BIT LESS NATURAL IMMUNITY AND AS A RESULT, THERE MAY BE A MORE SEVERE FLU SEASON THIS YEAR DR. JOHN GOLDMAN WITH UPMC SAYS A TYPICAL FLU SEASON. ALREADY PUTS A STRAIN ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND FLU ON TOP OF COVID. AND WILL BE EITHER AT OR BEYOND OUR CAPACITY. WE’RE ANTICIPATING THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE HIGHER CASES OF INFLUENZA DR. EUGENE CURLEY WITH WELLSPAN HEALTH SAYS IN ORDER TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING SEVERELY ILL AND TAKING UP BEDS IN HOSPITALS STILL TREATING COVID-19 PATIENTS. YOU HAVE TO GET BOTH THE COVID-19 VACCINE AND THE FLU VACCINE IT VACCINATED GET VACCINATED GET VACCINATED GET VA INCCATED FOR BOTH. SO THAT IT THE BEST IN THIS THIS WAY THAT OKAY, GETTING INFLUENZA OR COVID-19 NOT ALL KIDS CAN GET THE COVID-19 VACCINE BUT MOST CAN GET THE FLU SHOT THEDC C RECOMMENDS PEOPLE SIX MONTHS AND OLDER TO GET THE FLU SHOT. IT’S BEEN ALSOE B OUR BEST WAY AT AVOIDING A SO-CALLED TWENDEMIC AND GETTINGUT O OF THE DURATION OF THE FLU SEASON SO ALSO THEYAY S THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR FLU SHOT AS WELL AS YOUR COV-19 IDCCVAINE EVEN TOGETHER SAME DAY SAME HOUR THAT YOU CAN GET THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY BEUSCAE THERE IS NO NEGATIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TWO. I’M JOS

The U.S. is bracing for a combination of threats this winter as both the flu and COVID-19 spread, and the country will likely have to change daily life to cope with both, an expert said."I think the twin threats of this pathogen and the flu circulating every winter, as coronaviruses settle into a more seasonal pattern, is going to be too much for society to bear," former U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, told CNN. "I think we're going to have to readjust how we live our lives."COVID-19 cases have been driven up by the more transmissible delta variant, but Gottlieb said last week that this could be the last major wave of infection the country sees. But that depends on enough people obtaining protection from either infection or vaccination, he added.Currently, 55.8% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that the "vast majority" will likely need to become vaccinated to control the spread, though experts don't know what exact percentage that will be."When you don't know what the number is, what do you do? You vaccinate as many people as you possibly can, as quickly and as expeditiously as you possibly can. That's what we should be concentrating on, not any particular number," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House COVID-19 briefing.Some businesses, workplaces and schools have implemented vaccine mandates for customers, employees and students in hopes of managing spread. And the evidence shows vaccine mandates do get more people vaccinated, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told ABC News Monday.From the public, opinions are mixed about general employer vaccine mandates, but most support vaccination mandates for health care workers, teachers, government employees and college students, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Vaccine Monitor published Tuesday.As COVID-19 eventually develops into a seasonal occurrence, Gottlieb said schools and workplaces will have to make changes."We're going to have to improve air filtration and quality indoors. People will be wearing masks — I think, optionally," he said. "We're going to probably try to de-densify offices in the wintertime to try to reduce the risk, probably move conferences that might be held in the wintertime to the fall (or) the spring.""We've been too complacent about the spread of respiratory diseases in the wintertime," he said. "With a twin threat of flu and COVID circulating, we're not going to be able to enjoy that complacency anymore."Request for children's vaccine authorization not made yetCases among children are making up a greater proportion of new COVID-19 infections reported in the U.S., and health experts are hoping a vaccine for children will soon become available.The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday reported 206,864 new cases of COVID-19 among children during the week that ended Sept. 23, making up 27% of all cases reported nationwide.Pfizer and BioNTech said Tuesday they have submitted COVID-19 vaccine data on children ages 5 to 11 to the FDA for initial review, but they have not formally submitted a request for an emergency use authorization."This is sort of typical of a rolling submission, where you submit the data that's available," Gottlieb, who sits on the board of Pfizer, told CNN.Once all the data is submitted, Pfizer will ask the FDA for emergency use authorization. Gottlieb said he believes that will happen "imminently."When the FDA does give the green light, the U.S. will be ready to vaccinate younger kids, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Tuesday."The FDA's top priority is getting COVID vaccines for the population, particularly for our children," he said.But whether families will choose to participate in child vaccinations on a wide scale is unclear.An Axios-Ipsos poll published Tuesday showed parents of 5-to-11-year-olds are split on vaccinating their children, with 44% saying they are likely to do so and 42% saying they are unlikely to.Boosters likely to expandThere has also been discussion over vaccine boosters, but Fauci expects they will likely end up being part of the official vaccine series.Booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are now available for people 65 and older and some adults with underlying medical conditions or who are at increased risk for infection.When asked about people who do not fit the criteria who are already getting booster doses, Fauci told NBC News, "That is correct, and the reason is, we're dealing with a moving target. There is interpretation by some, 'Well, let's just go ahead and get the booster.'"Health experts are also looking into whether those who originally got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get Pfizer boosters before the companies release their own.Data evaluating the safety and efficacy of mixing different brands of COVID-19 vaccines is coming soon and will be submitted to the FDA for review, Fauci said Tuesday.

The U.S. is bracing for a combination of threats this winter as both the flu and COVID-19 spread, and the country will likely have to change daily life to cope with both, an expert said.

"I think the twin threats of this pathogen and the flu circulating every winter, as coronaviruses settle into a more seasonal pattern, is going to be too much for society to bear," former U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, told CNN. "I think we're going to have to readjust how we live our lives."

COVID-19 cases have been driven up by the more transmissible delta variant, but Gottlieb said last week that this could be the last major wave of infection the country sees. But that depends on enough people obtaining protection from either infection or vaccination, he added.

Currently, 55.8% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to data from the . And Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that the "vast majority" will likely need to become vaccinated to control the spread, though experts don't know what exact percentage that will be.

"When you don't know what the number is, what do you do? You vaccinate as many people as you possibly can, as quickly and as expeditiously as you possibly can. That's what we should be concentrating on, not any particular number," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House COVID-19 briefing.

Some businesses, workplaces and schools have implemented for customers, employees and students in hopes of managing spread. And the evidence shows vaccine mandates do get more people vaccinated, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told ABC News Monday.

From the public, opinions are mixed about general employer vaccine mandates, but most support vaccination mandates for health care workers, teachers, government employees and college students, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Vaccine Monitor .

As COVID-19 eventually develops into a seasonal occurrence, Gottlieb said schools and workplaces will have to make changes.

"We're going to have to improve air filtration and quality indoors. People will be wearing masks — I think, optionally," he said. "We're going to probably try to de-densify offices in the wintertime to try to reduce the risk, probably move conferences that might be held in the wintertime to the fall (or) the spring."

"We've been too complacent about the spread of respiratory diseases in the wintertime," he said. "With a twin threat of flu and COVID circulating, we're not going to be able to enjoy that complacency anymore."

Request for children's vaccine authorization not made yet

Cases among children are making up a greater proportion of new COVID-19 infections reported in the U.S., and health experts are hoping a vaccine for children will soon become available.

The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday reported 206,864 new cases of COVID-19 among children during the week that ended Sept. 23, reported nationwide.

Pfizer and BioNTech said Tuesday they have submitted COVID-19 vaccine data on children ages 5 to 11 to the FDA for initial review, but they have not formally submitted a request for an emergency use authorization.

"This is sort of typical of a rolling submission, where you submit the data that's available," Gottlieb, who sits on the board of Pfizer, told CNN.

Once all the data is submitted, Pfizer will ask the FDA for emergency use authorization. Gottlieb said he believes that will happen "imminently."

When the FDA does give the green light, the U.S. will be ready to vaccinate younger kids, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Tuesday.

"The FDA's top priority is getting COVID vaccines for the population, particularly for our children," he said.

But whether families will choose to participate in child vaccinations on a wide scale is unclear.

An Axios-Ipsos poll published Tuesday showed parents of 5-to-11-year-olds are split on vaccinating their children, with 44% saying they are likely to do so and 42% saying they are unlikely to.

Boosters likely to expand

There has also been discussion over vaccine boosters, but Fauci expects they will likely end up being part of the official vaccine series.

Booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are now available for people 65 and older and some adults with underlying medical conditions or who are at increased risk for infection.

When asked about people who do not fit the criteria who are already getting booster doses, Fauci told NBC News, "That is correct, and the reason is, we're dealing with a moving target. There is interpretation by some, 'Well, let's just go ahead and get the booster.'"

Health experts are also looking into whether those who originally got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get Pfizer boosters before the companies release their own.

Data evaluating the safety and efficacy of mixing different brands of COVID-19 vaccines is coming soon and will be submitted to the FDA for review, Fauci said Tuesday.

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