Covid-19 has taken a challenging toll on the lives of people all over the world, but as the flu season comes around the corner, communities have expressed their concern and caution considering this year’s conditions. The main question being asked is, “How will Covid-19  impact flu season the second year around?”. Last year’s results reveal that flu cases were actually lower than the seasonal average and that there were no hospitalized cases nor fatalities reported. What needs to be taken into consideration though is that last year’s cases were significantly impacted by the effects of Covid-19, especially because that period of time was the peak of the pandemic. Mask mandates and lockdowns came into play, and that caused the flu rates to decrease. 

This year, flu cases have remained lower than usual, but with Covid-19 restrictions being lifted all over the world, it is still necessary to take caution. As the virus continues to spread with students returning to school and entertainment experiences opening back up, there is still a chance for both viruses to fluctuate and significantly impact each other. Doctors have even predicted that “due to the far lower number of infections last year, the strains circulating this year may be harder for people’s immune systems to detect” (Al Jazeera). 

It is very important that we observe caution with the flu and Covid-19 so that we can prevent cases burdening health systems who already face challenges due to outbreaks of Covid-19. The CDC has provided health measures that can help us mitigate risks:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick 
• Stay home if sick 
• Wash hands regularly 
• Avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• Cover the mouth and nose (Wear your masks!)
• Observe social distancing when necessary or if possible