Long Flu Is Just as Real as Long COVID

COVID-19 isn't the only respiratory illness causing serious long-term health problems. A new study finds that seasonal flu patients are also suffering from Long Haul symptoms, particularly involving their lungs.

Researchers compared medical data from about 81,000 COVID-19 patients and 11,000 flu patients who were hospitalized. The results showed that, like COVID-19 patients, flu patients faced an increased risk of death, hospital readmission, and issues with major organ systems months after their release. While the overall risk was higher with COVID-19 infection, contracting either virus significantly increased the odds of disability and disease.

The senior author of the study says we need to wake up to this reality and stop trivializing viral infections. She emphasizes that these infections are major drivers of chronic diseases. According to her, optimizing vaccination for both COVID-19 and flu must remain a priority.